CHURCHILL DOWNS
Saturday, April 19
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 73 degrees
Track: Fast
LOUISVILLE, KY. – The Sovereignty bandwagon, already pretty crowded following his victory in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and second-place finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, likely gained additional passengers in the aftermath of his penultimate Kentucky Derby work on Saturday. The drill was one of seven that took place during a whirlwind special training session reserved for Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders and their work mates held between 7:15-7:30 a.m. daily at Churchill Downs.
The track was on the quick side and the weather picture perfect Saturday morning in Louisville, with the temperature already in the low 70’s when training hours opened two hours earlier, at 5:15 a.m.
Sovereignty had shipped locally after breezing an easy half-mile one week earlier over his winter base at Payson Park. He was joined for the early portion of the somewhat unconventionally orchestrated breeze by stable mate Playa Del Mar.
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The pair began at the five-furlong marker with Playa Del Mar easing up, after completing a half-mile at the eighth pole, as planned. Sovereignty continued on solo thereafter, responding to some late urging to finish with plenty of energy to and through the wire, completing three furlongs in 37.16 seconds and five furlongs in 1:00.93 before easing up a solid six furlongs in 1:13.20. The effort was strong and takes on added significance considering the fact Sovereignty had seemed to be a very average work horse, at best, training up to his first two starts of his 3-year-old campaign when having to be prodded along just to keep pace with lesser company on several occasions during training hours earlier this season.
Another horse who had considerable success wintering in South Florida, Holy Bull winner Burnham Square, also showed plenty of late energy on the run-out to complete what appeared to be more of a maintenance-like breeze on Saturday. Very rank approaching the half-mile pole, Burnham Square ultimately settled into a nice rhythm on the turn, posting splits of 23.49 and 49.78 going very easily to the wire before continuing out a full six furlongs around the turn in 1:15.78 with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard. Burnham Square is yet another member of the field who should relish the added ground on Derby day.
Although Publisher and Tiztastic have proven to be late running types in their races, the pair zipped right along this morning, the former dominating the work from start to finish. Opening three lengths on the turn with the rider looking around for his company at one point, Publisher completed a half-mile to the wire in a lively 22.60 and 46.79, remaining in control going out a strong six furlongs of his own, into and around the turn, nearest the rail, in 1:12.75. Tiztastic was sent along in a futile attempt to keep pace at the end. Publisher, who’ll enter the Derby on the upswing but still winless in seven starts, was equipped with the blinkers he added for the first time in his second-place finish in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.
East Avenue rarely disappoints in the morning and the speedster did not let his fans down in his first work since a game, second-place effort in the Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 8. East Avenue ran away to the wire and on the gallop-out from work mate Raguel, completing a half-mile in 23.44 and 47.85 before doing his thing on the gallop-out, continuing out a willing six furlongs in 1:14.59 under jockey Edgar Morales.
One day after his more fancied Brad Cox stablemate Tappan Street caught the eye at Payson Park, Final Gambit turned in his next-to-last Derby drill, looking good completing five furlongs from the half in 24.35, 48.10, and 1:01.49 while slightly best of a team along with Coffee Talk, responding to some light urging to continue six furlongs in 1:14.76 under the watchful eye of Cox.
Flying Mohawk was full of run early on working in company with older mate Honor Marie, who finished eighth in the 2024 Kentucky Derby. The Whit Beckman-trained duo posted a lively 34.98 opening three-furlong split before hitting the wire after five furlongs in 59.74, both going relatively easy throughout. They galloped out in an average 1:13.79 with a blinkered Flying Mohawk holding a slight edge albeit under a bit more urging at the end.
The only two local Oaks workers of the morning came early, under the lights, shortly after the track opened for business, with the Beckman duo of Simply Joking and Drexel Hill posting a sizzling five-furlong clocking in 58.47 off flashy internal splits of 22.73 and 34.20 for the opening three furlongs. The former easily the more eye-catching of the pair, travelling under a strong hold throughout from jockey Florent Geroux in an impressive effort. Staying the added distance will be key to her success on Oaks day.
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