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Originally Posted by philcski
Sunday, looked just ok, was never really asked and went 1:01 1/5 for 5F under Cordero.
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Cordero, who has been the Pletcher stable’s main “work” guy throughout this winter and spring in both Florida and Kentucky, took his bay charge trackside accompanied by a pony and they first backtracked a mile at a simple jog on the Polytrack surface. After next standing for a bit at the finish line, the rider gave the signal and the colt and pony jogged the right way around to the six-furlong marker before they separated and let the Derby horse – yet another son of Distorted Humor – get on with his business.
Any Given Saturday quickly picked up the bit and moved smartly through his five-panel exercise, which clockers tabbed at :24.60, :49 and 1:01.20, with an “out” time of 1:14. What made the move all the more interesting was the fact that the veteran Cordero, following his boss’ orders, never moved his hands on the colt, never asked him for full throttle.
“He (Cordero) nailed it,” Pletcher said after as he walked back to the barn. “I wanted 1:01 today with this horse and he got it. Just what I was after following that stiff work (:58.80) he had last week. He (Cordero) is amazing. He’s been doing it right with all these horses all winter. He was doing it for us at Palm Meadows (in Florida) and now
"He’s doing it here. He can still do it after all these years. That clock in his head is still working. And he’s no chick in the spring.”