Kentucky Derby Update: Saturday, April 30, 2022
May 01, 2022
The action started when the track opened for training at 5:15 (all times Eastern) on a cloudy but mild Saturday morning at Churchill Downs when the Brad Cox-trained duo of Cyberknife and Zozos worked six furlongs together in 1:11.20 and 1:11.40, respectively.
Following during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses beneath the Twin Spires were Cox’s third Derby hopeful Tawny Port (five furlongs in 1:01.60); the Todd Pletcher trio of Mo Donegal (half-mile in :48.60), and Charge It and Pioneer of Medina who worked a half-mile together in :47.40; the Kenny McPeek tandem of Smile Happy and Tiz the Bomb who worked a half-mile together in :48; Barber Road (a half-mile in :48.80) for trainer John Ortiz; Classic Causeway (six furlongs in 1:13.20) for trainer Brian Lynch and Un Ojo (a half-mile in :47.60) for trainer Ricky Courville.
Working at Keeneland was Calumet Farm’s Happy Jack, who covered a mile in 1:39.60 under jockey Rafael Bejarano.
Scheduled to work Sunday at Churchill Downs are Epicenter for Steve Asmussen and Crown Pride (JPN) for Koichi Shintani. Scheduled to work after the 10th race this afternoon at Gulfstream Park is C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable’s White Abarrio.
BARBER ROAD – WSS Racing’s Barber Road had his final move prior to the Kentucky Derby with a half-mile move in :48.80 under trainer John Ortiz’s exercise rider Elexander Aguilar.
“We’re ready,” Ortiz said. “We’ve had a really strong campaign leading into the Derby and he has a lot of good seasoning underneath him. We know we have a fit horse and will be ready for the mile and a quarter.
CLASSIC CAUSEWAY – Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper’s Classic Causeway had his final Derby work Saturday morning with a strong six-furlong move in 1:13.20 outside of three-time winner Sounion.
Classic Causeway, ridden by jockey Julien Leparoux, clipped through early fractions of :24.60, :36.60 and :48.60. Classic Causeway started about one length behind Sounion and drew away inside the eighth pole. Classic Causeway galloped out seven furlongs in 1:27.
“He’s been doing everything right on the track to earn his spot in the Derby,” trainer Brain Lynch said. “With the way he’s training, I don’t want to be the one to hold him back.”
Classic Causeway, the winner of the Sam F. Davis (GIII) and Tampa Bay Derby (GII), will be ridden in the Derby by Leparoux.
CHARGE IT, MO DONEGAL, PIONEER OF MEDINA – The trio of Todd Pletcher trainees took advantage of the special 7:30-7:45 a.m. training period on the Churchill Downs racetrack reserved for Derby and Oaks contenders to put in their final serious exercises for next Saturday’s 148th edition of the Run for the Roses.
Working inside stablemate My Prankster (who had Hector Ramos up and a date in next Saturday’s Pat Day Mile), Mo Donegal covered a half mile in :48.60 with a gallop out in 1:01.80 with Derby rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. at the controls.
Pletcher watched his colts’ drills from the Churchill grandstand and called Mo Donegal’s move “excellent.”
“He was in hand and it was a good controlled work and gallop out,” the Hall of Fame conditioner offered afterward on the backside. “I was very happy with it.”
Next up was the stable’s duo of Charge It and Pioneer of Medina with the former, handled by Derby rider Luis Saez, inside of his partner, who had exercise rider Carlos Perez in the saddle.
The roan Charge It and the bay Pioneer of Medina moved as one through splits of :12.20, :23.60, :35.80 and :47.40 with out times of :59.60 and 1:12.40.
“It was a solid move,” Pletcher said. “I got them in :23 and one for the last quarter. I was in touch with them on the radio and we had that scary moment when the siren went off (a workmate of an Oaks horse on the track lost the rider) just as they were at the wire so I alerted them. But I saw they picked up the loose horse right away and I was able to let them know about that, too.”
Mo Donegal, who has won three of five lifetime starts, most recently in New York’s Wood Memorial (GII), and Charge It, a winner of one of three outings, but second in Gulfstream’s Florida Derby (GI) in his latest attempt, are both assured of a starting spot in the Derby. But Pioneer of Medina, a double winner from six starts with a third-place finish in the Louisiana Derby (GII) as his latest effort, is currently listed as No. 21 on the Derby roster that only allows for 20 runners. But with the connections of at least one of the top 20 Derby eligibles indicating they’ll wait for another day, it appears likely that “Pioneer” will suit up for the mile and one-quarter classic.
“From here,” Pletcher concluded, “we’ll do the usual stuff – like visiting the gate and galloping. We’ll be galloping up to the Derby.”
CROWN PRIDE (JPN) – Teruya Yoshida’s Crown Pride (JPN) galloped under regular morning partner Masa Matsuda and is scheduled for a half-mile work Sunday morning at 7:30.
The UAE Derby (GII) winner will be ridden by Christophe Lemaire who rode at Churchill Downs for the Breeders’ Cup in 2010 and 2011.
CYBERKNIFE, TAWNY PORT, ZOZOS – Trainer Brad Cox’s Derby trio of Cyberknife, Tawny Port and Zozos all had their final works prior to the “Run for the Roses” Saturday.
At 5:15 a.m., Gold Square’s Cyberknife worked outside of Barray and Joni Butzow’s Zozos through swift opening eighth-mile fractions of :23, 34.60, :47 and :58.80. Cyberknife began the work about one-length back of Zozos and the duo finished on even terms.
At 7:30 a.m., Tawny Port, with newly named jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 outside of stablemate Shared Sense.
“There’s a lot of excitement leading into these final Derby works,” Cox said. “You start to get a little anxious as the days near closer to the Derby. Things went very smooth this morning.”
Jockey Florent Geroux was aboard Cyberknife for his work Saturday. The 35-year-old native of France spent some time outside of Cox’s barn following the work as he was anxiously awaiting for his brother to arrive from France.
“I think this is the part of Derby Week that is special because a lot of family and friends are here to support you,” said Geroux, who hasn’t seen his brother for more than two years due to COVID-19 restrictions in France. “I’ve been watching his plane on my phone and my family is excited to spend some time with him once he arrives.”
EARLY VOTING – Trainer Chad Brown reported a decision will come Sunday morning whether Klaravich Stable’s Wood Memorial (GII) runner-up Early Voting will run in this year’s Kentucky Derby.
EPICENTER – Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Epicenter visited the paddock before galloping under exercise rider Roberto Howell.
Epicenter is scheduled to work Sunday morning, rain or shine, according to assistant trainer Scott Blasi.
HAPPY JACK – While Kentucky Derby horses populated the work tab at Churchill Downs, Calumet Farm’s homebred Happy Jack, 20th on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard, was 75 miles east at Keeneland, where he worked a mile in 1:39.60 over a fast track under jockey Rafael Bejarano.
The colt by 2013 Preakness (GI) winner Oxbow had arrived at Keeneland the previous weekend from trainer Doug O’Neill’s Southern California base.
“We’ve had some good fortune doing this before,” O’Neill said about shipping to Keeneland prior to heading to Churchill for the Derby. “We did it with Nyquist where we came here and did our final prep (before winning the 2016 Derby). It’s so quiet; the track’s got a good cushion so it’s a little bit demanding, which we think they get a little bit better exercise out of it. Very happy with the way it went this morning.”
O’Neill, who also won the Derby in 2012 with I’ll Have Another, said working Happy Jack a mile was a good test.
“(He’s a) horse who’s got the potential but he hasn’t put up the numbers that we need to be a huge player in the race,” O’Neill said. “We wanted to ask him firmly and make sure he was fit and ready. To me, he answered that question, and he’s ready.”
Happy Jack is scheduled to leave Keeneland for Churchill around 1 p.m. Sunday.
MESSIER, TAIBA – Trainer Tim Yakteen reported from Santa Anita Saturday morning that his two Kentucky Derby colts, the bay by Empire Maker named Messier, and the chestnut by Gun Runner named Taiba, were doing just fine and all but ready for their plane ride to Churchill Downs early Sunday morning.
“Messier (who had his final Kentucky Derby drill Friday morning at Santa Anita) just walked the shed today,” the 57-year-old conditioner said. “Taiba (who had his last Derby work Thursday, also at Santa Anita) had a jog day today and we had jockey Ryan Curatolo do the honors. He (Tabia) looked great on the track.”
Also on the plane will be his charge Doppelganger, who is bound for the Pat Day Mile (GII) on Derby Day.
Yakteen said he planned to catch the red eye out of Los Angeles Saturday night and was hoping to meet his trio at Churchill when they pulled in at approximately 3 o’clock Sunday afternoon following their flight to Indianapolis and their 2 ½-hour van ride to Louisville.
SIMPLIFICATION – Tami Bobo’s Simplification arrived at Churchill Downs early this afternoon following a van ride from Gulfstream Park in South Florida.
Trainer Antonio Sano is scheduled to arrive in Louisville Sunday afternoon and Simplification will go to the track Monday morning.
Jose Ortiz, who was aboard Simplification in his past two starts in the Fountain of Youth (GII) victory and a third-place finish in the Florida Derby (GI), has the call in the Kentucky Derby.
SMILE HAPPY, TIZ THE BOMB – Trainer Kenny McPeek was satisfied with the final maintenance work for his two Derby hopefuls – Magdalena Racing’s Tiz the Bomb and Lucky Seven Stable’s Smile Happy – despite a slight change in plans on the track.
They cruised together under the Twin Spires on Saturday in :48 for the half-mile and galloped out five-eighths in 1:00.20, with Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard Tiz the Bomb and Corey Lanerie on Smile Happy. The first quarter was clocked in :23.80.
“I had him at 12s all the way around,” Hernandez said of Tiz the Bomb, the Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII) winner at Turfway Park. “Just kind of a maintenance half the Saturday before Derby. Just one of those deals that he did his half and galloped out just like we wanted him to. Now it’s all about getting to the Derby in good order.”
Smile Happy, who has only raced four times, finished second in the Blue Grass Stakes (GI) at Keeneland to Zandon, surrendering the lead in the stretch. “In the Blue Grass, that track was tiring,” Lanerie said. “I was disappointed when he let that horse come and get him so easy. But I think he’s doing better than ever. I like our chances.”
The two also worked together a week earlier, with Tiz the Bomb taking the position out in front. This time, plans called for them to swap roles, putting Smile Happy ahead, but that didn’t happen.
“It’s like the coach who calls the play, and everybody is supposed to do this and that, but that’s not what we called,” McPeek said. “Corey said he was worried about Brian’s horse getting a little keen in front of him. He was afraid they were going to go too fast. We wanted a 12s workout, and I think that’s how it played out. I wanted them to go 12s, kind of side by side, and not totally engage. I think they ended up going that, to 48. But no, that’s not the play I called.”
“Last week, I was on Tiz the Bomb, and we broke off about a half-length behind Smile Happy,” Hernandez said. “Today we were supposed to swap places, but when we got to the pole, Smile Happy was a little further back than we thought he would be. So I went on and worked my horse like I thought he needed to be worked. It wasn’t quite the work that Kenny was looking for, but it looked like both horses got what they needed out of it.”
“It happens,” McPeek said. “Brian’s horse is doing exceptionally well, and Corey was worried they were going to go too fast, because I was adamant that I didn’t want them to go too fast. They didn’t need to go down there in :46.”
“Once you’re in the process of working, you don’t want to stop and make it perfect,” Hernandez said. “Sometimes you’ve got to call an audible and unfortunately that’s what we had to do today. The biggest thing is you don’t want to overdo it … and blow your race in the morning.”
“I hope we get a good, clean break, and find a good position going into the first turn,” Lanerie said about where he wants to be in the Derby with Smile Happy. “Hopefully I’d like to be no further back than fifth or sixth, and get a good, clean trip. But it’s the Derby, you never know.”
“I like that this is a home game for us,” McPeek said. “Both Brian and Corey have been around this oval all their lives, and both are solid journeyman riders. I don’t have much concern about them finding their way around there. Both Corey and Brian are due a signature horse, so maybe one of them’s got it this week.”
McPeek also had Hernandez out with Rattle N Roll, who’s 24th in the Derby points standings, and would need a number of defections to make the field.
“I’m not intending on running him. The horse is doing fine, but he’s unlikely,” McPeek said of the colt, who finished fourth in the Louisiana Derby (GII) and sixth in the Blue Grass. “I’d like to get him back to his winning ways, maybe in a Grade III or a nice listed two-turn race somewhere, and get him back to winning, and start from there. It’s a long season.”
SUMMER IS TOMORROW – Michael Hilary Burke and Negar Burke’s Summer Is Tomorrow is scheduled to have his final work for Kentucky Derby 148 on Monday rather than Sunday.
“I like what I have seen so here so far,” said trainer Bhupat Seemar, who arrived in Louisville Wednesday night. “I usually work five days out from a race and I wanted to keep on the same schedule.”
Summer Is Tomorrow went twice around the track this morning with Heinz Runge aboard. Mickael Barzalona, who was aboard for the first time in Summer Is Tomorrow’s runner-up finish in the UAE Derby (GII), has the Derby mount and is expected to arrive in Louisville on Friday.
“It has been a long journey and it will be 11 days between works,” Seemar said. “He is putting weight back on and I wanted to give him an extra day.”
UN OJO – Cypress Creek Equine and Whispering Oaks Farm’s Un Ojo worked a half-mile in :47.60 under jockey Colby Hernandez. The work was the 14th fastest of 130 at the distance.
Working on his own, the Rebel (GII) winner posted fractions of :24.60, :36.40 and :47.60.
“I was worried about the weather last night and thought we may have to push it back a day,” trainer Ricky Courville said. “Colby has won a lot of races for us (in Louisiana).”
Ramon Vazquez will have the Derby mount.
Un Ojo worked without a piece of equipment that had been tested the day before to cover his missing eye.
“It was just a hood and he didn’t like it all,” Courville said. “He kept shaking his head.”
WHITE ABARRIO – Weather interrupted trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.’s plans for a final workout for Florida Derby (GI) winner White Abarrio at Gulfstream Park. The rain and a wet track means he’ll work at a special time Saturday afternoon in South Florida after the finale at Gulfstream Park.
“There was no rain at Palm Meadows, but Gulfstream Park got hit with a lot,” Joseph said by phone from South Florida. “It’s his last work before the Derby, an easy half-mile work. It looks like the weather is improving, but it takes just one shower to make a track bad.
ZANDON – Jeff Drown’s Blue Grass Stakes (GI) winner Zandon had a scheduled walk day following his sharp five-furlong move in 1:00.40 Friday at Churchill Downs.
Zandon is scheduled to go to the track Sunday and school in the starting gate Tuesday.
Drown confirmed the pronunciation of Zandon is (Zan-Den).
ALSO ELIGIBLE – Trainer Kelly Breen confirmed Saturday morning that Edge Racing, Medallion Racing and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ In Due Time, No. 22 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, would not be participating in this year’s Run for the Roses.
SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY DERBY – Here’s the current Top 20 horses in this year’s Kentucky Derby (with jockey and trainer): Epicenter (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen); Zandon (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown); White Abarrio (Tyler Gaffalione, Saffie Joseph Jr.); Mo Donegal (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher); Tiz the Bomb (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek); Cyberknife (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Crown Pride (JPN) (Christophe Lemiere, Koichi Shintani); Taiba (Mike Smith, Tim Yakteen); Simplification (Jose Ortiz, Antonio Sano); Smile Happy (Corey Lanerie, Kenny McPeek); Classic Causeway (Julien Leparoux, Brian Lynch); Tawny Port (Ricardo Santana Jr., Brad Cox); Barber Road (Rey Gutierrez, John Ortiz); Un Ojo (Ramon Vazquez, Ricky Courville); Early Voting (TBA, Chad Brown); Messier (John Velazquez, Tim Yakteen); Zozos (Manny Franco, Brad Cox); Summer Is Tomorrow (Mickael Barzalona, Bhupat Seemar); Charge It (Luis Saez, Todd Pletcher); Happy Jack (Rafael Bejarano, Doug O’Neill).
LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS UPDATE – Four Kentucky Oaks candidates had their final works for Friday’s race this morning at Churchill Downs: Candy Raid (half-mile in :48.80), Cocktail Moments (five furlongs in 1:00.80), Kathleen O. (half-mile in :47.80) and Nostalgic (half-mile in :48.60).
Working this morning at Santa Anita was Desert Dawn (five furlongs in 1:00.60).
Scheduled for a final work Sunday is the undefeated Echo Zulu at Churchill Downs.
CANDY RAID – Trainer Keith Desormeaux said Saturday morning’s workout went well for Don’t Tell My Wife Stables and Desormeux’s Candy Raid.
Candy Raid worked a half-mile in :48.40 and galloped out five-eighths in 1:01.40 with exercise rider Alex Cano aboard. It was her first work here since she was stabled here last fall and made one start.
“She did great out there,” Desormeaux said. “She is very confident, very sound. Happy, fit, confident, sound—that’s all I can do.”
COCKTAIL MOMENTS – Dixiana Farms’ Cocktail Moments worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 with her Longines Kentucky Oaks rider, Corey Lanerie.
“She’s doing great, and she put in a good work. We worked her in the second set after the break today,” trainer Kenny McPeek said of Cocktail Moments who was second to Nest in the Ashland (GI) in her most recent start. “She’s going to have to have some things set up for her, and she’ll have to run the race of her life. It’s a good group, and our expectations are modest, but she’s ready.”
DESERT DAWN, AIN’T EASY – Trainer Phil D’Amato sent Desert Dawn, his 3-year-old daughter of Cupid through a five-furlong drill of 1:00.60 at Santa Anita Saturday morning with jockey Ryan Curatolo aboard. She went at about 6:30 on a fast track and made her conditioner “very happy.”
“It was a good work,” her 46-year-old horseman said. “She was breezing all the way. It made me very happy.”
The bay Arizona-bred miss has won twice in seven starts, but her most recent effort was her best when she dug in late to capture the Santa Anita Oaks (GII) at the California track on April 9 by a neck. Umberto Rispoli rode her that afternoon and will be in the tack for next Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.
Both Desert Dawn and stablemate Ain’t Easy – who was considered for the Kentucky Oaks but now has been shifted to a start in Friday’s Grade II Eight Belles – will be on a plane out of California early Sunday morning with several other runners with dates to dance at Churchill Downs next weekend, including the Kentucky Derby-bound duo of Taiba and Messier. The horses then will be vanned to Louisville in a trip that should take approximately 2 1/2 hours.
D’Amato will take a plane of his own from California and hopes to meet up with his charges Monday morning on the Churchill backside.
ECHO ZULU –– L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Echo Zulu galloped at her usual 5:30 time under exercise rider Wilson Fabian, preparing for her Sunday morning workout. With rain in the overnight forecast, according to assistant trainer Scott Blasi she will head out to the track rain or shine.
GODDESS OF FIRE, NEST, SHAHAMA – Trainer Todd Pletcher had his three Kentucky Oaks fillies work Friday morning at Churchill Downs. On Saturday he had two of them – Goddess of Fire and Shahama – merely walk the shedrow at his Barn 35. But the other, four-time winner and one of the Oaks favorites Nest, was the first one on the racetrack for the special Derby/Oaks training period between 7:30-7:45 a.m. at Churchill Downs.
With exercise rider Nora McCormack in the boot, the bay daughter of Curlin galloped a mile out in the middle of the racetrack, then easily sauntered back to the barn.
Nest will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. when she goes in Friday’s Grade I, $1.25 million Run for the Lilies.
HIDDEN CONNECTION – Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds’ Hidden Connection had a scheduled walk day in trainer Bret Calhoun’s Barn 28 following her half-mile move in :50.20 Friday.
KATHLEEN O. – Winngate Stables’ Kathleen O. worked a half-mile in :47.80 with exercise rider David Jego up Saturday morning.
Working with 3-year-old allowance winner Smokin’ T, Kathleen O. produced fractions of :23.80, :47.80 and out five-eighths in 1:00.
Trainer Shug McGaughey said Kathleen O. works best with a target.
“She’s not necessarily a strong morning worker,” McGaughey said. “So we’re very pleased with what we saw today. I’m excited … we’re excited. We got through today and we know she always shows up on race day.
“This morning was right up there with some of her best. We’re glad to be back in Kentucky with her and we’re thinking with her running style she’ll appreciate the longer stretch here (at Churchill Downs).”
NOSTALGIC – Godolphin’s Nostalgic completed her major preparation for this year’s Longines Kentucky Oaks with a half-mile move in :48.60 inside of stablemate Mendenhall.
Nostalgic, ridden by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s go-to exercise rider Penny Gardiner, completed early fractions of :12.40 and :24.40. The Gazelle (GIII) winner galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.60.
SECRET OATH – Briland Farm’s Longines Kentucky Oaks contender Secret Oath was one of the first horses on the Churchill Downs surface Saturday morning and galloped 1 ½ miles with regular exercise rider Danielle Rosier in the saddle.
TURNERLOOSE – Ike and Dawn Thrash’s Turnerloose had a walk day in trainer Brad Cox’s Barn 22 following her five-eighths work Friday in 1:01.20.
VENTI VALENTINE – NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ Gazelle (GIII) runner-up Venti Valentine had a light day walking the shedrow after putting in her final workout a day earlier for Friday’s Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). With Tyler Gaffalione aboard, she worked fivefurlongs in 1:00.80.
Trainer Jorge Abreu said she came out of her Friday breeze in good shape. “All she’s gonna do now is jog tomorrow (Sunday) and gallop into the race.”
YUUGIRI – Tsunebumi and Sekie Yoshihara’s Fantasy GIII) winner Yuugiri put in her final work for the Kentucky Oaks by breezing a half-mile in :49.20 in company with Barossa over a fast track Saturday morning at Keeneland.
“We wanted to beat the rain (that was in the forecast), so we worked today,” said trainer Rodolphe Brisset, who was aboard for the work.
Fractions on the work were :12.80, :25.40, :37.80 and :49.20. Yuugiri galloped out the five furlongs in 1:01.80 in what was her third work since winning the Fantasy on April 2 at Oaklawn Park.
“I was very happy with the work; it was similar to her last work before the Fantasy,” Brisset said. “Hopefully she looks good tomorrow morning and we will bring her over in the afternoon.”
Florent Geroux, who has won the Oaks twice, will have the mount.
SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY OAKS – Here’s the Top 14 horses on the leaderboard for the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) (with jockey and trainer): Kathleen O. (Javier Castellano, Shug McGaughey); Echo Zulu (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen); Nest (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher); Yuugiri (Florent Geroux, Rodolphe Brisset); Desert Dawn (Umberto Rispoli, Phil D’Amato); Nostalgic (Jose Ortiz, Bill Mott); Venti Valentine (Tyler Gaffalione, Jorge Abreu); Secret Oath (Luis Saez, Wayne Lukas); Goddess of Fire (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher); Turnerloose (TBA, Brad Cox); Hidden Connection (Rey Gutierrez, Bret Calhoun); Cocktail Moments (Corey Lanerie, Kenny McPeek); Candy Raid (Rafael Bejarano, Keith Desormeaux); Shahama (Flavien Prat, Todd Pletcher).
STAKES PROBABLES – The following are the early probable stakes race entrants for Kentucky Derby Week, according to assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork:
The 28th running of the $500,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (GII) presented by Sysco, run on Friday, May 6 at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, entries close Monday, May 2: Arrest Me Red (Wesley Ward); Bound for Nowhere (Wesley Ward); Chasing Artie (Saffie Joseph Jr.); Diamond Oops (Patrick Biancone); Gear Jockey (Rusty Arnold II); Johnny Unleashed (Eric Foster).
The 65th running of the Modesty (GIII) run on Friday, May 6 at 1 1/8 miles on turf, entries close Monday, May 2: Bleecker Street (Chad Brown); Hendy Woods (Mark Casse); She Can’t Sing (Chris Block).
The 19th running of the $500,000 Alysheba presented by Sentient Jet (GII), run on Friday, May 6 at 1 1/16 miles, entries close Monday, May 2: Fulsome (Brad Cox); Happy Saver (Todd Pletcher); Olympiad (Bill Mott); Title Ready (Dallas Stewart); Weyburn (Brendan Walsh).
The 38th running of the $500,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GII), run Friday, May 6 at 1 1/16 miles, entries close Monday, May 2: Beachnut Trophy (Saffie Joseph Jr.); Dream Lith (Robertino Diodoro); Kneesnhips (Tom Amoss); Tap Dancing Lady (Brad Cox).
The 67th running of the $500,000 Eight Belles (GII, run Friday, May 6 at seven furlongs, entries close Monday, May 2: Ain’t Easy (Phil D’Amato); Awake At Midnyte (Doug O’Neill); Gerrymander (Chad Brown); Lac Vieux Desert (Robertino Diodoro); Marissa’s Lady (Bill Morey); Pretty Birdie (Norm Casse); Sandstone (Wayne Catalano).
The 37th running of the $750,000 La Troienne (GI), run Friday, May 6 at 1 1/16, entries close Monday, May 2: Ava’s Grace (Robertino Diodoro); Battle Bling (Rob Atras); Shedaresthedevil (Brad Cox); Temper Time (Dale Romans).
The 1st running of the $160,000 Knicks Go, run Saturday, May 7 at one mile, entries close Monday, May 2: Collaborate (Saffie Joseph Jr.); O Besos (Greg Foley); Perfect Speighty (Dallas Stewart); Three Technique (Jason Cook).
The 31st running of the $500,000 American Turf (GII), run Saturday, May 7 at 1 1/16 miles on turf, entries close Monday, May 2: Grand Sonata (Todd Pletcher); Stolen Base (Mike Maker).
The 98th running of the $500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GII), run Saturday, May 7 at one mile, entries close Monday, May 2: Doppelganger (Tim Yakteen); Hoist the Gold (Dallas Stewart); Jack Christopher (Chad Brown); Newgrange (Tim Yakteen); Pappacap (Mark Casse); Trafalgar (Al Stall Jr.)
The 37th running of the $500,000 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (GII), run Saturday, May 7 at one mile on turf, entries close Monday, May 2: In Italian (Chad Brown); Mona Stella (Patrick Biancone); Wakanaka (Bill Mott).
The 36th running of the $750,000 Derby City Distaff presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (GI), run at seven furlongs on Saturday, May 7, entries close Monday, May 2: Bell’s the One (Neil Pessin); Center Aisle (Paulo Lobo); Four Graces (Ian Wilkes); Obligatory (Bill Mott).
The 87th running of the $750,000 Churchill Downs presented by Ford (GI), run at seven furlongs on Saturday, May 7, entries close Monday, May 2: Aloha West (Wayne Catalano); Jackie’s Warrior (Steve Asmussen); Long Range Toddy (Dallas Stewart); Prevalence (Brendan Walsh).
The 36th running of the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI), run at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Saturday, May 7, entries close Monday May 2: Adhamo (Chad Brown); Cavalry Charge (Dallas Stewart); Ivar (BRZ) (Paulo Lobo); Santin (Brendan Walsh); Shirl’s Speight (Roger Attfield).
KENTUCKY DERBY, OAKS MORNING WORKOUTS OPEN TO PUBLIC – Churchill Downs will be open free-of-charge daily from 7-10 a.m. through Wednesday, May 4 so guests can watch the nation’s top 3-year-old Thoroughbreds train toward their engagements in this year’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.
Horses train on Churchill Downs’ main track daily from 5:15-10 a.m. with an exclusive training window only for Derby and Oaks participants from 7:30-7:45 a.m. following the 7-7:30 a.m. renovation break.
Those horses are identified by special saddle towels which include their names: yellow saddle towels for Derby horses and pink saddle towels for Oaks contenders.
Kentucky Derby Morning Works presented by TwinSpires.com will begin Monday and air on www.kentuckyderby.com/works, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Fans in attendance will be able to watch the show on the track’s Big Board and infield televisions.
Guests can enter Churchill Downs through the Paddock Gate and should park for free in the nearby White Lot for convenient entry. Guests will be directed to Sections 115-117 to watch the morning workouts.
No outside food and beverage is allowed. Churchill Downs’ Paddock Grill will be open each morning with breakfast food and beverage options.
Also, the Churchill Downs Store will be open daily featuring all of the best official race merchandise, collectibles, drinkwear, party supplies, gifts, apparel and gear for men and women in advance of the Kentucky Derby.
On Sunday, May 1 and Monday, May 2, fans can enjoy a premium breakfast in Millionaires Row or the Stakes Room for Dawn at the Downs. Tickets start at $41 and can be purchased on www.KentuckyDerby.com/tickets.
The 148th runnings of the $1.25 Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) and $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) will be held Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7, respectively. Opening Night of Derby Week and the 44-day Spring Meet is Saturday, April 30.
KENTUCKY DERBY MORNING WORKS PROGRAM AIRS DAILY – Former leading jockey Rosie Napravnik, a two-time winner of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade I), along with the voice of the Kentucky Derby, Travis Stone, join host Joe Kristufek as the featured analysts on the Kentucky Derby Morning Works presented by TwinSpires.com for the 11-day online broadcast that began Monday.
The one-hour program will be streamed live on KentuckyDerby.com/works from 7-8 a.m. (all times Eastern) starting Monday and will feature the 15-minute exclusive training period for Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders from 7:30-7:45 a.m. Fans can also watch the broadcast across several of the Kentucky Derby social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Fans will be invited to join in the discussion using the hashtag #KyDerby.
NEW $3 ALL 3-YEAR-OLD PICK 3, 50-CENT ALL DIRT PICK 5 HIGHLIGHT DERBY DAY WAGERING MENU – A new $3 All-3-Year-Old Pick 3 and a 50-cent All-Dirt, All-Stakes Pick 5 that close with the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I), highlight the spectacular Derby-week wagering menu that kicks off the 44-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
The All-3-Year-Old Pick 3, which has a unique $3 minimum, will span across the $500,000 American Turf presented by BMW (GII), $500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GII) and the Kentucky Derby. Like the 50-cent rolling Pick 3s, the All-3-Year-Old Pick 3 will have a 22% takeout.
Also new on the wagering menu is the All-Dirt, All-Stakes Pick 5 on Kentucky Derby Day, which closes with the “Run for the Roses.” With a low 15% takeout, and 50-cent minimum, the sequence will cover the $160,000 Knicks Go, $750,000 Derby City Distaff presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (GI), $750,000 Churchill Downs presented by Ford (GI), the Pat Day Mile and the Kentucky Derby.
The 20-cent Derby City 6, a jackpot wager where bettors must correctly tab the only winning combination to take down the entirety of the pool, handled more than $1.06 million on Kentucky Derby Day in 2019.
The bet will begin this Saturday for Opening Night and if multiple winning combinations correctly select six winners, 90% of the daily pool gets paid, while 10% will carray over to the next day. If no one correctly selects all six winners, the entirety of the day’s pool will carray over to the next day. The Derby City 6 pool will have a mandatory payout on Kentucky Derby Day.
Along with the Derby City 6, the return of the two-day Oaks/Derby Pick 6 will also be a top wager. The $2 minimum bet (2019 handle: $479,561) spans six Grade I events across Kentucky Oaks and Derby Days. The bet begins on Oaks Day with the $750,000 La Troienne (GI) and the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). It continues Kentucky Derby Day with the Derby City Distaff, Churchill Downs, $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI) and the Kentucky Derby.
There will be four traditional Pick 5 and Pick 4 wagers on Kentucky Derby Day. The third Pick 5 (2019 handle: $3,980,809) and third Pick 4 (2019 handle: $4,091,771) will feature an all-stakes sequence and culminate in the Kentucky Derby.
Superfecta wagers will be a $1 minimum on Kentucky Derby and Oaks days but will be a 10-cent minimum on all other days.
For the full wagering menu and list of daily post times, visit https://www.churchilldowns.com/racing-wagering/tot….
EDITORIAL PHITOS VIA COADY PHTOOGRAPHY –
For the latest Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks photos, visit:
https://coadyphotography.photoshelter.com/gallery-….
When prompted, enter password: KYD2022
Please credit all photos to Churchill Downs/Coady Photography.
KENTUCKY DERBY NEWSFEED AVAILABLE VIA FTP DOWNLOAD – There are two ways to access the Kentucky Derby Newsfeed service:
NEWSFEED & NEWS CONFERENCES VIA FTP CLIENT
The Kentucky Derby Newsfeed is now available via FTP download. Files are 1080 HD and will be uploaded on a daily basis.
To access Newsfeed footage & News Conferences via FTP client (Filezilla, Cyberduck, etc) use the following:
Server: kyderby-ftp.hammondcg.com
Username: kyderby148
Password: 2022DerbyMedia
Port: 21
NEWSFEED & NEWS CONFERENCES VIA WEB BROWSER
To access Newsfeed footage & News Conferences via web browser, enter this information into your browser address bar:
Kyderby-web.hammondcg.com:8334/login
You will receive a prompt to enter a username and password.
Username: kyderby148
Password: 2022DerbyMedia
For further information, inquires or to report technical difficulties, please contact Jesse B. Kelsey, Vice-President of Hammond Communications Group, Inc. at (859) 492-5768.
MEDIA ENTRY AND PARKING INFORMATION FOR DERBY WEEK
OPENING NIGHT AT A GLANCE
· Gates Open at 5 p.m.
· First of 10 races at 6 p.m.
· All parking is reserved on property; pass holders only.
· Free parking and shuttles available at Kentucky Exposition Center
· Theme: Style Under the Stars
· Reminder: no umbrellas
SUNDAY AT A GLANCE
· Dawn at the Downs
· Paddock Gate Opens at 6:30 a.m.
· Parking available in Black, Green and Orange Lots. Enter off Taylor Blvd. & Racine Ave.
· Derby & Oaks horses will be on the track from 7:30-7:45 a.m.
· Paddock Grill will be open for coffee and breakfast sandwiches. No outside food or beverage allowed.
· Churchill Downs Store will be open from 7-10 a.m.
MEDIA PARKING
Kentucky Derby Week Parking at Churchill Downs is reserved for those with onsite parking, and restrictions began Saturday. Media without an onsite pass should park at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Enter via Gate 4 off Crittenden Drive and park in Lots E or J. Shuttles run to and from the Churchill Downs Transport Plaza in front of the Paddock Gate from 2 a.m. to 12 a.m.
On Sunday and Monday at Churchill Downs – dark days – parking is available anywhere on site.
MEDIA STABLE SHUTTLES
Stable Area shuttle service to and from the Parlay Media Center and the barns begins Saturday from 4-11 a.m. However, shuttle service will be impacted between 8:30-10:30 a.m. while runners are in the Infield. Plan accordingly.
MEDIA PARKING FOR STABLE AREA
Media without a Stable Area parking pass may park in the Turquoise or Yellow Lot until 10:30 a.m. and walk into the Stable Area through Service Gate 11. Credentials will be scanned for admission.
Churchill Downs Racing Communications/Notes Team
Darren Rogers | Senior Director, Communications & Media Services| (502) 636-4461 (office) | (502) 345-1030 (mobile) | [email protected] | @ DerbyMedia
Kevin Kerstein | Publicity Manager | (502) 635-4712 (office) |
(610) 420-6971 (mobile) | [email protected]| @HorseRacingKK
Gary Yunt | Notes Team Captain | (502) 636-4460 (office) |
(303) 981-5629 (mobile) | [email protected]|
Mac McBride | Notes Writer
Kevin Kilroy | Notes Writer
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