CHURCHILL DOWNS
Monday, April 21
Weather: Showery
Temperature: 70
Track: Good/fast
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The weather was the big story Monday at Churchill Downs with intermittent showers falling and the track sealed and rated good when opening at 5:15 a.m. Fortunately, the rain abated and the course was able to be harrowed and upgraded to fast in time for the special Kentucky Derby/Oaks training session that began two hours later.
Built and American Promise trained over the wet footing prior to daybreak, with American Promise making his first local appearance since shipping back to Kentucky from his winter home at Oaklawn Park just 24 hours earlier. He wasted little time stretching his legs and engaging in a fairly energetic gallop despite the less than ideal conditions at the time.
Business picked up appreciably once the weather and surface improved a short while later, with 10 likely Derby runners and several Oaks contenders taking to the track after the renovation break. All turned in fairly routine gallops, with no official works scheduled.
Among the most notable names on the list were Tappan Street and Sovereignty, the first- and second-place finishers, respectively, three weeks ago in the Florida Derby. Both appear to have bounced out of their very impressive recent workouts in good order, with Tappan Street back under the Twin Spires for the first time since shipping home from Payson Park the previous morning. He was one of two Derby qualifiers trainer Brad Cox sent out during the special session along with synthetic specialist Final Gambit, who again seemed to handle the main track in good order after breezing five furlongs in 1:01.49 in company on Saturday.
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Arkansas Derby winner Sandman, second behind only Burnham Square on the Kentucky Derby qualifying points list, showed the way this morning for his Oaks-bound stablemate La Cara. The Mark Casse-trained duo galloped along single file, maintaining an even but relatively brisk pace throughout.
East Avenue was another who appeared none the worse for wear following a solid five-furlong breeze of his own here Saturday. The same can be said for Publisher, who turned in one of the most noteworthy works that same morning. He was back to business on Monday along with Tiztastic, who appeared to struggle trying to chase down his less accomplished but obviously much improved mate in the latest in a series of team drills for the Steve Asmussen-trained pair.
Flying Mohawk and the Japanese invader Admire Daytona both returned to the track this morning after taking Easter Sunday off, while Coal Battle was the last of the Derby contenders to train, doing so amongst the general population. Coal Battle was briefly in run-off mode down the backstretch before quickly coming to hand for the remainder of a 1 3/4-mile gallop.
Admire Daytona is scheduled to work Tuesday, with Coal Battle likely to join him on the tab, according to trainer Lonnie Briley.
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