CHURCHILL DOWNS
April 28, 2024
Weather: Clear
Track: Fast
Temperature: 68
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sunday offered a picture-perfect morning at Churchill Downs to pretty much close the book on the final major preparations for this year’s Kentucky Derby, with only the two Japanese invaders, Forever Young and T O Password, likely to record an official work in the days ahead.
Five Derby entrants breezed on Sunday, JUST STEEL and TRACK PHANTOM under the lights well before dawn, STRONGHOLD, CATALYTIC, and RESILIENCE over a similarly fresh strip after the renovation break during the special training session reserved for Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses at 7:30 a.m.
Just Steel wasted little time getting things rolling, entering the track immediately after the gaps opened at 5:15 a.m. before breezing a maintenance half-mile in an easy 50.43 seconds off a slow 25.75 opening split. He was then geared down fairly quickly on the gallop out.
Track Phantom, who has not started since his fourth-place finish on March 23 in the Louisiana Derby, had a lot more serious drill in his final pre-Derby tuneup while teaming with stablemate Mugen, who was runner-up in a modest maiden special weight dash at the Fair Grounds in his last start.
Track Phantom, equipped with the blinkers he will wear for the first time on race day here Saturday, broke about a length behind at the half-mile pole, got to the wire on even terms in a crisp 47.21 while in reserve before dropping back slightly into the clubhouse turn, completing five furlongs widest of the duo in 1:00.08. He ultimately galloped out best of the team, six panels in 1:13.74. Solid, but not as dynamic as some of the other final Derby preps seen here this weekend.
:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2024: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more
Stronghold and Catalytic were among the last of the Derby runners to arrive locally and both got their first serious feel for the surface while working almost simultaneously on Sunday.
Stronghold was the first to go, breezing five furlongs in company with his multiple Grade 3-winning turf sprint mate Motorious. He, too, broke about a length off and outside his partner, getting even after a 35.71 three-furlong split, the duo continuing along even the remainder of the way, Stronghold completing five-eighths in 59.78, going easily under jockey Joe Talamo, before running out three-quarters in 1:13.56.
Catalytic also began just off and outside his partner, For Some Reason, breezing an easy half in 48.12 in maintenance-like fashion under new rider Jose Ortiz. The Florida Derby runner-up began to edge away while still well in reserve through the wire before drawing off readily on the gallop out, five-eighths in 1:00.87, up six furlongs in 1:14.37.
Resilience put the finishing touches on a couple of good weeks locally with an easy half-mile in 25.02 and 49.16 while cruising throughout before galloping out a full six furlongs in a strong 1:14.94. Resilience was equipped in those blinkers that seemed to be a game changer in his impressive Wood Memorial victory.
Arguably the best work of the morning, from a visual standpoint, was turned in by reigning juvenile fillies champion JUST F Y I, who has flourished here this past week and looked imposing again this morning in a maintenance-like breeze of her own. She just cruised through a 49.36 half-mile while looking like she was ready to explode to and through the wire, galloping out five-eighths in a solid 1:02.40. Couldn’t be doing better, must overcome a somewhat daunting outside draw in the Oaks.
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