Includes an appearance by the pair of Bill Mott studs, winner of the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) resilience and defending 2-year-old champion Just letting you know eight horses headed to the May 3 Kentucky Oaks (G1) or the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1) began training on April 28 at Churchill Downs.
Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman’s Resilience and George Krikorian’s Just FYI went an easy half mile without a companion, with the former timed: 49 1/5 and the latter timed: 49 2/5. Although their times were slower than some of their Sunday morning counterparts, their ease of movement was evident.
Kentucky Derby contender Resilience went 4 furlongs in 49:20 this morning, April 28.#KyDerby pic.twitter.com/gcJJFMebfI
– Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 28, 2024
Mott, who won an upset in the 2019 Derby with House in the countryside through disqualification Maximum security . “We want our final works to be nice and smooth, hopefully we will finish well. It looks like they are both very light, well finished and galloping beautifully. Neither of them All of them were pushed.”
Resilience galloped five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 and Just FYI in 1:02 2/5
Junior Alvarado, who will pilot the duo in their upcoming races, joined Just FYI for her action. He smiles as he discusses the filly, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Fillies (G1) last fall and second in the April 5 Ashland Stakes (G1) in her lone start that this year. “She just jumped over this ground,” he said.
Kentucky Oaks contender Just FYI went 4 furlongs in 49:40 this morning, April 28th.#KyOaks pic.twitter.com/PVwstaGyEm
– Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 28, 2024
She is one of three potential Oaks horses to appear on Sunday, with the rest remaining Everland (half mile in: 51 4/5) and also qualified Our beautiful woman (half mile in: 50 3/5).
Additional Derby horses to show off included Wall (five furlongs in: 59 4/5); Catalysis (half mile in :47 4/5), Follow the ghost (five lasts for 1:00) and Steel only (four furlongs in 50 2/5).
After this weekend’s busy practice activity, only a few minor winds are expected leading up to the race. The two people scheduled to work on April 30 are the Japanese runners-up Youth forever And TO password with plans for them to enjoy together.
Most Derby and Oaks competitors will complete their training with regular jogs and gallops.
Maintaining a ‘Horse of Difference’ since at Churchill in ’23
Trainer Phil D’Amato was at Churchill on Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m. ET to watch Eric and Sharon Waller’s Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner, Stronghold, complete his Derby maintenance my last trip before catching my 9 a.m. flight back to California.
Ridden by jockey Joe Talamo in his work, Stronghold went five furlongs to the outside motorbike Placed stakes winner is competing in the Twin Spiers Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) on Derby day.
Kentucky Derby contender Stronghold went five furlongs in 59.80 this morning, April 28th.#KyDerby pic.twitter.com/6O4oie8AC6
– Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 28, 2024
The pair worked a little faster than D’Amato originally requested, but he said that was to be expected since the music had been playing quickly over the past few mornings.
“I couldn’t ask for more,” D’Amato said. that’s ideal.
Steady stronghold at Churchill Downs throughout the summer and early fall of his 2-year-old year, including breaking his maiden on the track on October 1. Through six starts, the son of Ghostzapper managed to finish in the top two in each outing despite never racing at the same track twice.
“He’s one of those horses that I think can really take his game to any track,” D’Amato said. “Getting his first win here is a big advantage.”
Talamo has ridden Stronghold in several works and both started in Kentucky last year, but has been in colt since he moved to D’Amato’s base in California after his first win.
“He made it as easy as possible,” Talamo said of the job. “He’s a different horse than the last time I rode him. That’s really good.”
Antonio Fresu, who has ridden Stronghold in his last four starts, will get his chance at the helm in the Derby. D’Amato said earlier this week that he was unable to ride on Sunday due to his weekend riding commitments in California.
Asmussen is looking 100% from Track Phantom
Lecomte Stakes (G3) winner Track Phantom, expected to be one of the early frontrunners in the Kentucky Derby, wore an eye shield during Sunday’s practice session, as he has done in two practice sessions earlier this month.
Kentucky Derby competitor Track Phantom went five furlongs in 1:00.00 this morning, April 28. #KyDerby pic.twitter.com/bp2rTZpDxt
– Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 28, 2024
He will add them for the Kentucky Derby. Hall of Fame trainer Asmussen felt his colt misstepped approaching the stretch and lost momentum in the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby (G2) while leading before fading to the fourth lane .
“It’s not something that could happen to a horse of this caliber,” Asmussen said. “We will need him 100% and that is what we expected when we added the blinker.
Track Phantom, son of Quality roads races for L and N Racing, Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom and Breeze Easy.
Slots & slot machines at Fair Grounds Race. Those races take place before the March 23 Louisiana Derby.
“I think it was clear from last night that Churchill was a lot faster than Fair Grounds,” Asmussen said. It doesn’t take you long to get there.”
Joel Rosario will be in the Derby.
Lukas Looking for good energy from Just Steel ahead of the Derby
Just Steel was the first Derby worker on the track this morning, showing up just before 5:30 a.m. After passing the mile on April 20, all Lukas wanted was an easy maintenance job to step on into the race.
Behind rival Kentucky Oaks (G1) Lemon Muffins worked faster than Lukas wanted on April 27, being careful with Just Steel made it a little slower than Lukas wanted.
“We don’t shake the trees. But that’s okay.” Lukas said. “Whether the horse is healthy or not, you won’t be able to get it healthy in the next five days.”
Kentucky Derby contender Just Steel went 4 furlongs out at 50:40 this morning, April 28th. #KyDerby pic.twitter.com/CxtlY4Dwk0
– Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 28, 2024
Lukas believes the key to the final week of preparation is to seek excitement in training from a Derby player.
“The only thing you want to see is his energy level increase,” Lukas said. “That’s the big thing for me. If his energy level is up, he’s really enjoying it. I guess in the next four or five days, I can really get there.”
The catalyst made the rotation under Jose Ortiz
Jockey Jose Ortiz got acquainted with his Derby mount, Catalytic, by taking him with his teammates during a 7:30 a.m. ET practice period reserved for beginners in the Oaks and Derby.
Cadet Saffie Joseph Jr., distant runner-up of severity in the Florida Derby (G1), dispatched by co-worker For some reason in the stretch and galloped further ahead with five furlongs in 1:00 1/5.
Kentucky Derby contender Catalytic went 4 furlongs in 47.80 this morning, April 28.#KyDerby pic.twitter.com/0wHizDn9DF
– Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 28, 2024
“We were looking for something easy and fun—maintenance, 48 (seconds) or so,” said Ortiz, whose best finish in the Derby was a second aboard finish. I think he did that.” Good magic in the 2018 race. “He went through the wire very well. I put my hand down a little bit, went over the wire, and he galloped the way he was supposed to. He was a beautiful horse.”
