Four graded stakes-winning colts were workers — going two-by-two — for
trainer Todd Pletcher Sunday morning at Churchill Downs as he put the final
major touches on his Kentucky Derby 140 candidates.
For three of his sophomores, the drills proved positive; for the fourth, not
so much so.
Pletcher teamed up Intense Holiday and We Miss Artie, putting regular
exercise rider Nick Bush on the latter and jockey John Velazquez aboard the
former. It was the first time Hall of Famer Velazquez had sat aboard his Derby
mount.
With “Intense” on the outside, the pair broke off evenly at the half-mile
pole, then went through their assignments with Velazquez’s colt drawing clear
and finishing three lengths in front of his barnmate to earn a final time of :48
3/5 (tying for the seventh fastest of 59) for the move. “Artie” was clocked in
:49 1/5
(tying for 28th). Intense Holiday continued to open up impressively on the
gallop-out, surging many lengths ahead.
Following right behind them, Danza (with exercise rider Ezequiel Perez aboard)
on the outside spotted Vinceremos (Ovel Merida) about a half-length at the
half-mile, then bested him by about a half-length at the wire. Their work times
were registered as Danza at :48 4/5 (tying for 11th) and Vinceremos at :49
(tying for 20th).
Going into the morning’s exercise, the multiple-Eclipse Award winning
conditioner noted that he had some concerns with Intense Holiday’s ability to
change leads properly.
“We’ve been working with him,” Pletcher said, “and I think we’ve made some
progress. It will be interesting to see how he does this morning.”
Following the work, the trainer was encouraged.
“This was a good work for him,” Pletcher told a media gathering at his Barn 34
headquarters. “There might have been just a little bit of an issue still there,
but overall it was everything we were hoping to see from him. He worked very
well.”
Rider Velazquez, too, was encouraged by the drill.
“I didn’t have to help him (change leads),” he said. “He handled it real well.
He responded very well to what I asked him to do. I was very impressed and he
worked really, really well. He gave me a lot of confidence.”
On the other hand, We Miss Artie’s work did not earn any seals of approval.
“I wasn’t that happy with (his) effort,” Pletcher said. “It might have been a
combination of how he handled the (dirt) track and how well Intense Holiday
worked alongside him. I just expected more from (We Miss Artie).
“I’m not sure at
all if he should be running in the Derby. I’ll talk to Mr. Ramsey (owner Ken
Ramsey) and we’ll see.”
Danza’s move continued an on-the-rise pattern that has pleased the trainer since
the chestnut colt returned from a layoff at the end of his two-year-old season.
“He is coming right along and this work was another good effort on his part,” he
said. “His comeback race in Florida (a third-place finish in an allowance race)
was better than looked and his Arkansas Derby (in which he tallied by nearly
five lengths) speaks for itself. He’s been working well and doing well and we
have to be pleased with how he’s coming up to this race.”
Pletcher had indicated he wanted to see a good drill for Vinceremos Sunday if he
was to be seriously considered for a Derby run. It appears he got it.
“Vinceremos’ work was good,” he said. “He did well enough for us to consider it
(a start in Derby 140).”
Following training hours, WinStar Farm President Elliott Walden told Daily
Racing Form that Joe Rocco Jr. would have the Derby mount on Vinceremos.
Javier Castellano has the mount on We Miss Artie and Joe Bravo the call on Danza.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com