Derby-Oaks Dawn Patrol
 

Hoppertunity with best effort of KD-KO session going 5f in 1:00.25 after 12.0, 24.2, 35.3 splits. Strong 6f gallop in 1:13.1, 7f in 1:26.3.. Hoppertunity (working with good ol' Drill) was under the mildest urging coming to the wire and burst away from his mate after it. Very nice.


Billy Gowan had daily ball-of-power Ride On Curlin 2 min. lick a mile (1:57.2); Allowed to finish a little getting quarter in 26.1. Doing great..


General a Rod worked alone and went rather indifferently in 12.4, 26.1, 39.0, 1:03.1, out in 1:17.1. Was anxious to get Maker's take and barn confidant Vol Jack explained that Maker said A Rod never picked it up until he got past the big screen having had his eye on it entire stretch.. (Funny that this comes up because it was a topic on the Night School session last evening..)


Pletcher Arky Derby surprise package Danza (Street Boss) makes an excellent impression daily, galloping with great energy under hold..


Empress of Midway (O'Neill), hoping for a Kentucky Oaks slot, highly spirited in gallop. Will settle for Eight Belles start if an Oaks outcast.. Rosalind (McPeek) was out for her 2nd day and galloped strongly again..


Many gallopers to mention but will have to wait until after the show...

Can't get enough of these. Thanks Steve.

My favorite part of derby build up are these write ups

Steve heard from someone that some horses seem to be getting a little distracted with the new jumbotron...you hearing anything about this or is this just rumor mill stuff?

It's directly addressed above in the General a Rod blurb. And was on Night School. And today on air as well.

Horses are naturally curious and take in everything in there eye shot. They notice things that are new and out of place from their previous experience. But the big building is just as likely to catch their attention if they've never seen it as the new video screen.

has the screen been on in the am or is it merely blacked out?

In the Wood, Wicked Strong was turning his head toward the stands. Wonder if this screen could be a distraction on race day?

SATURDAY NOTES:

Medal Count and Candy Boy were best of this morning but neither were sparkling 'Derby' works. Both were efficient efforts that saw them get through smoothly.

The rest of those that drilled today were wholly unspectacular with Commanding Curve a notable disappointment after galloping with verve all week leading up to today.

Chitu 'galloped' and it looked to be a struggle. (Privman actually updated subsequently on his training in a special bar shoe).

General a Rod was out earlier in the morning as Maker continues to tinker with him 2 mornings in a row after the funky work Thursday. Went much better today and is apparently going to get an added drill. The other pair of MM's were just OK with Vicar's in Trouble a C+ at best and Harry's Holiday a C today..

SUNDAY NOTES:

Untapable amuses pre-work, screaming to be let loose before reeling off easy 12, 23.4, 36, 48.3 half (out in 1:02.4). Ready for Fri. (B+)

Tapiture follows fellow Winchell stablemate Untapable to track for nice circuit galloping and pulls up clearly wanting to do more.

Again Sunday, no one went through their ministrations in eye-popping fashion, but the Pletcher runners were the stars of session as Intense Holiday (v. We Miss Artie) and Danza (v. Vinceremos) easily outperform rest of the Derby workers.

Starlight Racing's Intense Holiday had to delight Johnny V with streamlined 13.1, 25, 48.1, 1:01 move that left We Miss Artie panting. (B+)

Danza v. Vinceremos less of mismatch but AR Derby hero clearly best. Continues to move with efficient power over track. 48.4 half and out in 1:02. (B)

Intense Holiday made him look bad, but reality is We Miss Artie should be running in the American on Turf and would be for any other owner than Ramsey. (C-)

Vinceremos an OK animal but just appears a notch below the top end of these horses. To his credit, dug in and stayed with Danza on the gallop out. (C+)

Chitu had 6f blast from the gate with Party Time as his workmate and looked far better in full flight than in Saturday's choppy Sat. gallop. Goes in 1:13 after 24.1, 36, 48 splits. And apparently lost a shoe in the process. Think he's up against it in Derby, but at least an encouraging move for believers. (B-)

Wildcat Red showed he may need to adjust further to the duller (than Gulfstream) Churchill strip, tiring noticeably in fast early (35.2), slow late 5f (1:04.2). Not an ideal pre-Derby spin. (C)

Ride On Curlin, galloping strongly daily, worked controlled 7f (1:29). Broke slow but 24+ down lane, 37+ final 3f for old school Gowan. (B-)

Early Photo of the Year certainly has to go to Barbara Livingston's capture of Tapiture's work this morning...

Attachment 2342

AWESOME PIC

I got chills reading the tapiture report this am...thunder, lightning and tapiture...very cool

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...lf-mile-breeze

Be nice if CDI had their $hit together, so you could actually see the tape of the workouts, instead of Jill's daily buzz when you try to watch on their website.