Derby News

With stormy weather looming in the forecast over most of the next two days, the trainers of Toyota Blue Grass (Grade I) contenders Seaside Retreat and Court Folly made a changes in their plans and prepped their horses for the Keeneland race with works on Thursday at Churchill Downs.

William S. Farish, Jr.'s Seaside Retreat, runner-up to With a City in the $500,000 Lane’s End (GII) at Turfway Park, breezed five furlongs for trainer Mark Casse. The son of King Cugat worked in company with veteran handicap star M B Sea and covered five furlongs in 1:01.80 over a “fast” track, while workmate M B Sea covered the distance in 1:02. The move by Seaside Retreat ranked 12th of 23 at the distance.

Casse had planned a Friday breeze and regular jockey Patrick Husbands had been scheduled to fly in from Canada for the work. But the threatening forecast prompted Casse to move the work up a day and he enlisted jockey Jose Castanon to ride.

“He couldn’t have worked any better,” said Casse. “He just did it easy, so I was really pleased.”

The Woodbine-based Casse said the work showed that Seaside Retreat had come out of his race in the Lane’s End on March 25 in good shape. He said that Thursday’s effort would be the colt’s only serious training move before the April 15 race.

Seaside Retreat has a record of 3-1-1 in six races with earnings of $266,632.

Casse still plans to breeze Bourbonette Breeders’ Cup (GIII) winner Top Notch Lady, a contender for the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI), on Friday - but that schedule could change. She is not scheduled to run again before the Oaks on May 6, so a weather delay would not be as critical for the daughter of Sultry Song.

“I’ll wait and see,” he said. “Her work isn’t nearly as important. Obviously, we’ve got a long time before the Oaks.”

Robert Manfuso’s Court Folly, third to Sharp Humor in the Swale (GIII) at Gulfstream Park, breezed five furlongs over a “fast” track in a sharp :58.60 under exercise rider Andrea Mancuso. The move was the fastest of 23 at the distance.

Trainer Ian Wilkes, who took over the training of Court Folly and several other horses previously trained by Kentucky Derby winner Carl Nafzger earlier this year, said the Toyota Blue Grass would be a quality check for the Royal Academy gelding.

“Everything’s good - he’s right on schedule,” said Wilkes. “The Blue Grass is a logical spot for us. We’ll know where we stand after that one. These are nice horses and you can’t be contemplating a run in the Derby if you can’t run well against these horses. You’ve got to see if you belong.”

Wilkes moved Court Folly’s work up at least a day because of the prospect of wet weather. Court Folly has a record of 2-1-2 in seven races with earnings of $79,825.

BARN TALK - Trainer D. Wayne Lukas will send two horses to Oaklawn Park next week for that track’s major preps for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. Lukas said that the Estate of Robert Lewis and Beverly Lewis’ Simon Pure would run in the Arkansas Derby (GII) on April 15. Circle C Group Stable’s Ex Caelis, runner-up in the Darley Alcibiades (GII) at Keeneland and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) at Belmont Park, would run in the $250,000 Fantasy (GII) on April 14. The daughter of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus underwent surgery to remove a bone chip after the Breeders’ Cup and has not raced since then. Both horses are expected to work at Churchill Downs this weekend and will ship to the Hot Springs, Ark. track on Tuesday…Bruce Lunsford’s Bourbonette Breeders’ Cup runner-up Coronado’s Vision is scheduled to run in the $100,000 Instant Racing Breeders’ Cup on Oaklawn Park on April 15. A good effort there could earn the Frank Brothers-trained filly a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Oaks…Florida Derby (GI) runner-up Sharp Humor became the latest Kentucky Derby contender to arrive on the grounds at Churchill Downs when he settled in to trainer Dale Romans’ barn on Tuesday. Purdedel Stable’s 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor won the Swale Stakes (GII) and would be the first Derby starter for Romans, a Louisville-born trainer based at Churchill Downs, if he makes it to the starting gate on May 6.

DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR NOMINATIONS FOR DERBY WEEK STAKES - The deadline to nominate horses the lucrative roster of stakes races scheduled during Kentucky Derby Week, April 29-May 6, at Churchill Downs is fast approaching.

Nominations for all races other than the $2 million Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (GI), the Kentucky Oaks (GI) and the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) are due by midnight (all times Eastern) on Saturday, April 8.

The Kentucky Derby Week stakes roster (listed by date) includes:

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