Arkansas Derby Contenders Blackberry Road, Liberty Bull Prep In Mud At Churchill Downs

Dogwood Stable’s Blackberry Road, runner-up in the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), and WinStar Derby winner Liberty Bull, prepped for scheduled runs in next week’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (GII) with workouts in the mud on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Blackberry Road, a 3-year-old son of Gone West trained by David Carroll, covered the distance over a “muddy” track in 1:03.60. The half-brother to former 2-year-old champion Vindication covered the distance in fractions of :14, :26.60, :38.80 and :51.60. Blackberry Road galloped out six furlongs in 1:17.60.

The Tom Amoss-trained Liberty Bull breezed four furlongs in :48.40. The breeze by Kenneth Maier’s son of Holy Bull ranked eighth of 27 at the distance.

Also on the Saturday work tab under Churchill Downs’ historic Twin Spires was John T.L. Jones, Jr. and Bill Jones’ Big Glen, the Frank Brothers-trained winner of the Rushaway at Turfway Park. Big Glen breezed five furlongs in 1:02.60.

My Baby Baby, a candidate for the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI) on May 2, breezed four furlongs in :51. Magdalena Racing’s daughter of Bernstein finished third in the Florida Oaks (GIII) for trainer Ken McPeek.