Frammento breezes :48 half-mile, needs one defection to make Derby

Frammento breezes :48 half-mile, needs one defection to
make Derby

Frammento took a spin around Keeneland on Friday (Keeneland/Coady Photography) On a fast main track after the renovation break at Keeneland Friday morning, Mossarosa’s Frammento (Midshipman) and jockey Joe Bravo worked a half-mile in :48. Clockers caught the chestnut colt in fractions of :12 1/5, :24 and :48, galloping out in 1:02 2/5. Click here for a replay of the work. Frammento is 21st among point earners vying for a spot in the starting gate for the May 2 Kentucky Derby (G1), which is limited to 20 horses. He ran sixth in his stakes bow, the Holy Bull S. (G2), and filled the third spot in the Fountain of Youth S. (G2) next out, both at Gulfstream Park, before shipping to Keeneland to be fourth in the Blue Grass S. (G1) last out. Trainer Nick Zito, a two-time winner of the Kentucky Derby, was pleased with the move in which Frammento had company from stablemate Heliodoro (Quality Road) and rider Alejo Carpio to his inside until the horses reached the top of the stretch, which Zito said “was just to make him pay attention.” “It was very professional, very even. That’s what you want,” Zito said about the breeze. “He’s a true mile and a quarter horse. If he gets in there, he’ll do some damage going a mile and a quarter.”

Zito said Frammento would ship to Churchill Tuesday. If the
colt does not run in the Derby, Zito said his next targets would be the
Preakness S. (G1) and Belmont S. (G1).

Also at Keeneland on Friday, WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Stables’ Blue Grass
victor Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway) and exercise rider Patti Krotenko arrived at
the Lexington, Kentucky, venue’s main track about 10 a.m. (EDT) accompanied by assistant trainer
Tristan Barry on a lead pony and galloped about 1 1/2 times around the oval.

At approximately 5:30 a.m. Saturday, the Todd Pletcher trainee colt is scheduled to have his final breeze for the Kentucky Derby.

“We’re real excited about next weekend,” said WinStar
Racing Manager Elliott Walden, who watched Carpe Diem Friday from the Keeneland
boxes.

The early Saturday work is designed to avoid the
possibility of heavy rains in the forecast.

“I don’t have any real concern about this race track,” Walden added. “If it
holds like it’s held all meet, it’s going to be a great race track in the
morning whether it rains or not.”

Carpe Diem, who has won four of five starts and has
earned more than $1.5 million, is the third-leading point earner among horses taking aim at
the Kentucky Derby.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com