Kentucky Derby Worktab

At Churchill Downs on Sunday, trainer David Carroll sent out two Kentucky Derby (G1) prospects for drills on the fast track.

Undefeated Southwest S. (G3) hero DENIS OF CORK (Harlan's Holiday) worked five furlongs in :59 2/5 in advance of Saturday's Illinois Derby (G2) at Hawthorne. With jockey James Lopez aboard, the bay colt recorded the third fastest of 15 moves at the five-furlong distance and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13. The Carroll pupil worked over a fast, freshly harrowed track just after the maintenance break.

"He's been on edge now for a little while and we just wanted him to go out there and stretch his legs this morning, and he did it beautifully," Carroll said. "The track's in great shape. It's playing fast this morning, but it's a got a great cushion on it, a great bounce to it. We're very happy with him and now hopefully he'll run big in Illinois. We need to run big there."

Julien Leparoux will take over riding duties aboard Denis of Cork in the Illinois Derby.

"I think Julien is kind of a quiet rider and can get this horse in a nice rhythm," Carroll explained. "He's kind of a push-button horse and I think he'll fit him beautifully."

With Carroll himself in the saddle, Grade 2-placed BLACKBERRY ROAD (Gone West) covered his five-eighths in 1:01 3/5 in preparation for the Arkansas Derby (G2) on April 12 at Oaklawn Park. Taking place prior to the maintenance break, it was intended to be an easy move following the colt's fourth-place run behind Pyro (Pulpit) in the Louisiana Derby (G2). The dark bay, who is a half-brother to the unbeaten 2002 juvenile champion Vindication (Seattle Slew), galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 3/5.

"The Louisiana Derby was a very hard race on him," Carroll said. "He was in the race from the get-go and got beat a length and a half for second. Pyro was definitely the best horse that day, but that's not our style of racing. I felt like the Arkansas Derby would give him an extra week (between races) and it should be a true-run race."

Working after the renovation break for Al Stall Jr., Louisiana Derby runner-up MY PAL CHARLIE (Indian Charlie) sizzled five furlongs in a bullet :58 1/5. A late nominee to the Triple Crown, the bay is expected to line up in the Arkansas Derby.

"Today was the first day I've worked horses over the track, so I was caught a bit off guard by the time," Stall said. "This was his major work two weeks out and he hadn't done anything in 22 days from the Louisiana Derby. He had a little breeze at the Fair Grounds, but this was his major work. He cooled out like he'd galloped and that's the most important thing."

Over the Santa Anita Cushion Track, several prospects for Saturday's Santa Anita Derby (G1) turned in works.
Robert B. Lewis S. (G2) runner-up COAST GUARD (Stormy Atlantic) worked five furlongs in a quick :58 4/5 for trainer David Hofmans.

"It was a nice work," said Hofmans. "He finished strong, the last eighth in 11 (seconds) flat."
Multiple Grade 3-placed INDIAN SUN (Indian Charlie), recently fourth in the San Felipe S. (G2), worked five-eighths in 1:00 4/5.

POLONIUS (Broken Vow), winner of the Pasadena S., covered five-eighths in 1:00 3/5.

Multiple stakes winner BOB BLACK JACK (Stormy Jack), who finished third in the San Felipe and who might race next in the Arkansas Derby, drilled five furlongs in :58, fastest of 48 works at the distance.

Two contenders for Saturday's Wood Memorial S. (G1) at Aqueduct posted moves in advance of that event.

Over a fast Belmont training track, Gotham S. (G3) runner-up TEXAS WILDCATTER (Monarchos) breezed four furlongs in :48 4/5.

Count Fleet S. winner GIANT MOON (Giant's Causeway), who most recently finished last of nine in the Gotham, sped five furlongs in 1:01.

"The horse won four in a row on dry tracks, and then he loses in the slop in the Gotham," trainer Richard Schosberg said. "So, we're not going to make rocket science out of this. We're just going to stay away from sloppy tracks."
Over the fast dirt at Palm Beach Downs, promising three-year-old MONBA (Maria's Mon) breezed four furlongs in :51 1/5 for Todd Pletcher. The gray colt rounded out his juvenile campaign with a fourth in the CashCall Futurity (G1) while making his stakes debut, and in his 2008 bow, was a troubled last of 12 in the Fountain of Youth S. (G2).