Court Vision, Z Humor Work; "Recapture" Breezes

A trio of contenders for the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) tuned up for their scheduled bids for America’s greatest race with workouts on Thursday, April 17, at Churchill Downs.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott sent his Kentucky Derby duo of IEAH Stable and WinStar Farm’s Court Vision and Zayat Stables’ Z Humor out for half-mile works over a “fast” track. And co-owner and trainer Louie Roussel III sent Recapturetheglory, winner of the Illinois Derby (GII), out for a somewhat eventful five-furlong breeze.

Court Vision, winner of the Remsen (GII) and Churchill Downs’ Iroquois (GIII), zipped four furlongs in a blistering :46.20 under jockey Neil Poznansky. The son of Gulch breezed about 30 minutes before the break for track maintenance and his work was easily the fastest of 25 at the distance.

He worked in company with Five Gold Rings, an unraced 3-year-old daughter of Touch Gold who started the work a couple of lengths ahead of Court Vision, but the Kentucky Derby contender blew past her in the stretch and finished well clear of his workmate. Five Gold Rings completed her move in :47.60. Churchill Downs clockers did not record his fractional times for Court Vision, but did catch his final quarter-mile in :23.

“He went very well,” said Mott, the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs who is looking for his first victory in the Kentucky Derby.

Z Humor, a dead-heat winner of the $1 million Delta Jackpot (GIII) at Delta Downs, breezed five furlongs under jockey Rene Douglas in :47.60 – a move that ranked as the day’s third fastest work at the distance. The son Distorted Humor worked in company with 3-year-old maiden winner Radius and was timed in :47.50.

Radius got a two-length jump on Z Humor in the work, but the latter finished about a half-length in front. Z Humor covered the four furlongs in fractions of :12.60, :24.60 and :36 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.80. Radius completed his move in :48.

Recapturetheglory, who arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 under assistant trainer Lara Van Deren. The Cherokee Run colt worked just after the break for track maintenance and covered the distance in fractions of :12.20, :24.20, :36.40 and :48.60 and galloped out six in 1:16.60.

Roussel did have an anxious moment following the work when Recapturetheglory had to check during his gallop-out when a loose dog scampered across the track in front of the colt.

“I told her I wanted to go in 1:01, so that was good,” said Roussel. “I didn’t like the gallop out in 1:16, but she had to avoid the dog. But he just ran 12 days ago. The test will be on the next week’s work, on the 24th or 25th. He’ll go about five-eighths or three-quarters with him and that will be the real test. But this was just to get the air back in him, and I think it was what I needed.”

The work by Recapturetheglory ranked fifth among 16 at the distance.

Meanwhile, Courtlandt Farm’s homebred Adriano, winner of the Lane’s End Stakes (GII) at Turfway Park, arrived at Churchill Downs following a van ride from Keeneland. The Graham Motion-trained son of A.P. Indy had traveled from Keeneland on Sunday for a half-mile work at the Churchill Downs, but will remain now at the Louisville track through the Kentucky Derby.

Other Kentucky Derby hopefuls on the grounds at Churchill Downs include the Nick Zito-trained quartet of reigning 2-year-old champion War Pass, Fountain of Youth (GII) winner Cool Coal Man, Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) winner Anak Nakal, and Stevil, the fourth-place finisher in the Toyota Blue Grass (GI). Also at Churchill Downs are Arkansas Derby (GII) winner Gayego, Lecomte (GIII) winner Z Fortune, Southwest (GIII) winner Denis of Cork, Lane’s End runner-up Halo Najib; Arkansas Derby third-place finisher Tres Borrachos and Kentucky Jockey Club third-place finisher Racecar Rhapsody. The latter will run in Saturday’s $325,000-added Coolmore Lexington (GII) at Keeneland.

Friday’s training activity could include a breeze by Zito’s Anak Nakal.