Harlan's Holiday zips five furlongs
April 24, 2002
By John Asher and Gary Yunt

Kentucky Derby Headlines:

• Harlan's Holiday zips five furlongs
• War Emblem works 3/4 mile
• Perfect Drift breezes at Trackside
• Oaks hopefuls Habibti, You breeze

HARLAN'S HOLIDAY - Starlight Stable's dual Grade I winner Harlan's Holiday continued his forward preparation for the 128th Kentucky Derby by working five furlongs in :59.20 on Wednesday morning over a fast track at Churchill Downs. Tony D'Amico was up for the work. The move was the fastest of 21 at the distance.

Churchill Downs clockers caught Harlan's Holiday in :12 for the first eighth, :23.40 for the quarter, :35.20 for three-eighths and out the six furlongs in 1:14.20.

Trainer Ken McPeek got the likely morning-line Derby favorite in :59.40.

"I didn't want him to go that fast," McPeek said, "but he's a nice horse and he works fast. I think the track was little quick today." Ten days prior to his victory in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, Harlan's Holiday worked a bullet five-eighths in :59.80, and McPeek described today's move as similar.

"We wanted to go a good, solid five-eighths and get him to finish good off it," McPeek said. "He's doing well and working well. He'll work a half next Tuesday with Edgar Prado, and it will be a similar type breeze.

"He's very sharp right now. He was a little aggressive leaving the pole ... I wanted to go in around a minute, but he went a little quicker."

McPeek was asked if the Blue Grass took anything out of Harlan's Holiday.

"I think he got a little tired in the Blue Grass," McPeek said. "When he pulled up after the race, you could see he was blowing pretty good, but I think that was from the deeper track more than anything. As far as his eating habits, he has been great. I don't think he is any worse for wear at all.

"He has been under the same pattern since January, and I think he is a horse that doesn't miss a beat and does everything right all the time. Hopefully we will get through the next 10 days without any trouble. We've got dead aim on it."

McPeek's Kentucky Oaks hopeful, Select Stable's Take Charge Lady, stood in the gate and galloped a mile and a quarter under Helen Pitts. McPeek said the filly would probably work Saturday.

PERFECT DRIFT - Stonecrest Farm's Perfect Drift breezed four furlongs Wednesday at Churchill Downs' Trackside Louisville Training Center in his next-to-last major work before the Kentucky Derby on May 4. Jockey Joe Deegan was in the irons as the gelded son of Dynaformer, winner of the Lane's End Spiral (GII) at Turfway, covered the distance on the "fast" six-furlong oval in :49. Perfect Drift, who is trained by Murray Johnson, covered the distance in fractions of :12.80, :25.60 and :37.80 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.

Recent works by Perfect Drift have been marked by a strong closing kick and he exhibited that trait again as he covered the final furlong today in :11.20.

"I think the horse worked as good as any horse I've been on in quite awhile," said Deegan. "He's mentally where he needs to be and physically, as well. That's all you can ask for. He was just loping. I really thought I went a little too slow, but when I let out a notch on him he exploded. I didn't have to ask him at all - I just kind of leaned over on him a little bit."

Deegan said Perfect Drift continues to mature and that development is reflected in the style of his morning works.

"The thing I like about him now compared to a little time back is that he'll dole it out to you," said Deegan. "Before he'd kind of explode when you asked him. He'd give it all to you at once, whereas now he's more relaxed and he'll just pick it up and then he'll pick it up again, which is really what you want. You don't want him to give you everything until you really ask for it."

"I couldn't be more pleased," said Johnson. "One more work to go and we're in good shape."

Johnson said Perfect Drift would have his final work at Trackside on Tuesday, April 30. The Derby contender will travel to Churchill Downs on Saturday to school in the paddock before the crowd on the opening day of the Spring Meet and could school again later in the week, but Johnson said Perfect Drift will continue to train at the Poplar Level Road facility and will ship over to Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby morning.

"This is his home," said Johnson. "I think in all sports that the home team advantage is strong. When you're sleeping in your own bed, eating your regular meals and everything's the same as it is every other day of the year, you perform well and that's what we're trying to do."

WAR EMBLEM - The Thoroughbred Corporation's War Emblem had his second his Churchill Downs work since winning the April 6 Illinois Derby, going six furlongs in 1:12.40 after the renovation break with exercise rider Dana Barnes up.

Churchill Downs clockers caught War Emblem in :12.40 for the first eighth, :25 for the first quarter, :48.60 for the half and out seven-eighths in 1:26.

"I thought he went nice, very good. We're just happy to be in the show," trainer Bob Baffert said. "He will probably work again next Tuesday, something real easy, depending on the weather."

Victor Espinoza will have the mount Derby Day on War Emblem, who was purchased by the Thoroughbred Corporation after the Illinois Derby. "The transition went nice," Baffert said, "(Trainer) Frank (Springer) told me about this horse's little quirks, and if you know about them right away, you know what to expect and you don't worry about it. He was really helpful."

War Emblem had worked five furlongs in :59.60 last Thursday.

"He is a pretty aggressive horse. I was more worried about Dana than the horse," Baffert said. "He likes doing what he is doing, and he enjoys what he is doing, which is good. When you have an aggressive horse like that, they are usually easier to train because they get a lot out of their gallops and works. He didn't get tired today, and I put a pretty stiff work in him. When he came back, he wasn't tired and wasn't blowing, so that's a good sign."

IN OTHER DERBY NEWS...

CAME HOME - Santa Anita Derby winner Came Home walked the shedrow a day after working six furlongs in 1:12.60.

"He is fine this morning," trainer Paco Gonzalez said. "He will go back to the track in the morning."

Gonzalez said he watched a replay of the work Tuesday night. "I couldn't see too much back here, so I watched it again on TVG last night," Gonzalez said. "He looked good and Chris (jockey Chris McCarron) was very happy."

CRIMSON HERO/STRAIGHT GIN - Trainer Nick Zito is not pointing either of his 3-year-old colts to the Kentucky Derby at this point, but both are in training at Churchill Downs. Both colts galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Jamie Sanders and Zito both horses are "doing well."

EASY GRADES - Desperado Stables' Easy Grades galloped a mile and three-quarters after the renovation break under exercise rider Cindy Lerille.

Trainer Ted H. West said he planned to take Easy Grades to the paddock Thursday and may give the Honor Grades gelding a couple sessions at the starting gate with the first possibly coming Friday.

ESSENCE OF DUBAI - UAE Derby winner Essence Of Dubai galloped a mile and a quarter and visited the paddock under exercise rider Lee Roebuck before the renovation break.

Tom Albertrani, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor, said Essence Of Dubai work would seven furlongs Thursday morning with Roebuck up before the break.

Tempera and Imperial Gesture, Godolphin Racing's Kentucky Oaks hopefuls, galloped a mile and a quarter before the break with Roebuck on Imperial Gesture and Rachel Dore on Tempera.

ETHAN MAN INJURED - West Point Thoroughbreds' Ethan Man, winner of the Swale (GIII), will be out of action for several weeks following the discovery of a bone chip in the colt's left front ankle.

The injury was discovered Wednesday morning - four days after Ethan Man's disappointing fifth-place finish as the favorite in the Coolmore Lexington (GII) at Keeneland. Trainer Patrick Byrne said the colt had appeared to be fine on the first couple of days after the race, but the first sign of a problem in the ankle appeared on Wednesday. "There was a significant amount of filling (in the ankle)," said Byrne. "He walked sound and jogged sound, but we X-rayed the ankle and there was a small chip sitting there. It's no big deal. We'll pluck it out and we'll have him ready for Saratoga."

Byrne said the Glitterman colt has already been shipped to the Woodford Veterinary Clinic in Versailles, Ky., where Dr. Bill Baker will remove the chip in surgery that is scheduled for tomorrow.

"It's a simple procedure," said Byrne. "He's sound and doesn't appear to be sore on it, but it's there. Hopefully it'll be a squeaky clean deal and we'll pluck that out. There'll be some stall rest involved - how much will be determined after he takes the chip out. But he should definitely be back by Saratoga."

After the disappointing run in the Coolmore Lexington, Byrne had given fleeting thought to running Ethan Man either in Saturday's Derby Trial (GIII) or the first running of the Matt Winn Stakes, for 3-year-olds and six furlongs, on May 11.

IT'SALLINTHECHASE - Darwin Olson's It'sallinthechase made his usual 5:45 appearance on the Churchill Downs track Wednesday morning exercise rider Joe Higgins for a jog, gallop and visit to the paddock. Trainer Wilson Brown was due to arrive in Louisville later Wednesday.

It'sallinthechase, one of four Breeders' Cup Juvenile starters from last fall likely to come back in the Derby, is scheduled to work Sunday under new rider Eddie Martin Jr.

Lusty Latin - Joey and Wendy Platts' Lusty Latin galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Amy Mullins after the renovation break.

MEDAGLIA D'ORO - The winner of the San Felipe (GII) and runner-up in the Wood Memorial (GI) walked on Wednesday, the day after he breezed five furlongs. "He looks very good," said trainer Bobby Frankel.

Ocean Sound - Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) third-place finisher Ocean Sound walked Wednesday morning, a day after working seven furlongs in 1:28.20.

According to exercise rider Adam Kitchingman, Ocean Sound will return to the track Thursday.

PRIVATE EMBLEM/WINDWARD PASSAGE - Trainer Steve Asmussen's two Kentucky Derby hopefuls, Private Emblem and Windward Passage, galloped a mile before the renovation break. Lisa Orn was on Private Emblem, and assistant trainer Scott Blasi on Windward Passage. Asmussen said the duo would visit the starting gate Thursday. Lake Lady, Asmussen's Kentucky Oaks hopeful, galloped a mile under Orn before the break.

Proud Citizen - The D. Wayne Lukas-trained son of Gone West returned to the track for the first time since Saturday's victory in the Coolmore Lexington (GII) at Keeneland. Proud Citizen jogged under exercise rider Dimitri Dimitropoulos.

REQUEST FOR PAROLE - Battaglia Memorial winner Request For Parole visited the paddock and then galloped a mile and three-quarters before the renovation break under exercise rider Loren Diego. Trainer Steve Margolis has a six-furlong work scheduled for Thursday morning after the break with Robby Albarado up.

SUNDAY BREAK - Trainer Neil Drysdale said Koji Maeda's Sunday Break jogged two miles under exercise rider Marcelino Olguin. Drysdale said that Fusao Sekiguchi's Flying Dash, winner of the Transylvania at Keeneland, is now being pointed toward the Crown Royal American Turf (GIII) on Kentucky Oaks Day, May 3.

U S S TINOSA - The date for U S S Tinosa's arrival at Churchill Downs has been moved back to Saturday afternoon. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's son of Foxhound, winner of the Sham Stakes and runner-up in the San Felipe (GII), will work at Northern California's Bay Meadows on Friday before he boards a Federal Express flight to Louisville on Saturday.

Wild Horses - Peachtree Stable's Wild Horses galloped a mile and three-eighths before the renovation break with exercise rider Cindy Hutter up.

Hutter said that trainer Todd Pletcher was expected to be in Louisville on Thursday along with Smoked Em, winner of last Saturday's Tesio Stakes at Pimlico.

IN OAKS NEWS....

BELLA BELLUCI - Trainer Neil Drysdale said Michael Tabor's Comely (GIII) winner galloped 1 ¼ miles under exercise rider Marcelino Olguin.

BELTERRA/TAKE THE CAKE - Trainer Carl Nafzger's Kentucky Oaks contenders each jogged a mile under exercise rider Tracey Wilkes. Both fillies breezed on Tuesday and assistant trainer Ian Wilkes said both were doing well.

HABIBTI - Before the break, trainer Bob Baffert's Kentucky Oaks hopeful Habibti worked six furlongs in 1:13.40 in company with Danthebluegrassman with Dana Barnes up.

"It was all right," Baffert said of the work. "This track, you need to catch it early, or right after the break, and today it was a little chewed up by the time she got out there."

MS BROOKSKI/CHAMROUSSE - Gary Tanaka's Ms Brookski, winner of the Bonnie Miss (GII), breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60 on Wednesday over a "fast" track at Churchill Downs.

Assistant trainer Jennifer Brown was in the irons for trainer Niall O'Callaghan, who will saddle the recently purchased Ms Brookski for the first time in the Kentucky Oaks on May 3. O'Callaghan said the move was a bit busier than he had planned, but it worked out well.

"I was very pleased with it," he said. "Two horses broke off seven lengths in front of her and that wasn't expected. Then another horse hooked up with her at the half, so it was four horses. She was four-wide and she did it all very nicely. She doesn't seem to get upset about anything and I couldn't have planned it any better. It worked out good."

O'Callaghan is still learning about the filly and likes what he has seen so far.

"She looks as good as she could be in terms of health and color, but it's a little unknown area there," he said. "I certainly think she deserves to line up in the gate."

Arthur Hancock III and James Stone's Chamrousse galloped one mile under Brown. O'Callaghan said again that he is leaning toward Pimlico's Black-Eyed Susan for that filly.

YOU - Edmund Gann's You, winner of the Santa Anita Oaks (GI) and Las Virgenes (GI), worked a strong six furlongs over a "fast" track on Wednesday as she continued her preparations for the 128th Kentucky Oaks.

The daughter of You and I, trained by two-time Oaks winner Bobby Frankel, covered the distance in 1:13.20 under exercise rider Marco Ramirez. Churchill Downs clockers caught the filly in fractions on :24.20, :36 :48 and 1:00.40 and galloped out seven furlongs in 1:26.80. Her work was the fastest of seven at the distance.

"From what I saw she looked pretty good," said Frankel. "She doesn't take much. She has been away six weeks, so I think she's right on right now. I'm happy with her. She seems like she handles the track very well."

Frankel was very confident about his Oaks chances with Flute a year ago and that confidence was validated by the filly's emphatic victory. He believes You will also run very well.

"She's going to have a chance - she tries hard," he said. "She's the biggest money-earner in the bunch. She's won three Grade I's."

Frankel anticipates that the filly's final major training move would be an "easy three-eighths" on Wednesday, May 1. "I think she's going to run good," he said. "This is a tougher field than it was last year, but I think she'll be in the right spot. She likes the track and Jerry (jockey Jerry Bailey) knows her really well now."

WORK TAB (Track - Fast): Commonwealth Breeders' Cup (GII) runner-up Alderbaran breezed four furlongs in :47.40. Lecomte runner-up Sky Terrace worked four furlongs in :46.40...Jadada breezed five furlongs in 1:01.

TRACKSIDE LOUISVILLE (Track - Fast): District breezed four furlongs in :46.80...Hattiesburg breezed five furlongs in 1:02.

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