2013 (CD): Derby/Oaks 'Morning Patrol'
 

Brisk a.m. at CD. 8:30 @KentuckyDerby & Oaks workers shortly: Verrazano, Revolutionary, Nrmndy Invsn, Will Take Charge (1m), Close Hatches.

Times/splits are Mike Welsch's watch (see links below), so I will simply concentrate on visuals of the morning..

NORMANDY INVASION was quick early and slower late. Not a bad breeze overall but imagine Chad Brown would have preferred to flip the elements and have him slower early and faster late. Some yutz on facebook and/or twitter started a rumor when the colt was photographed upon arrival at Churchill that he had lost 'a ton of weight' out of the Wood. A naturally lean, trim horse, he looked 100% fine upon viewing today as evidenced by photo below.

Mike Welsch ‏@DRFWelsch: Normandy Invasion off fast, :11.57 :23.06 opening 1/4, completed 1/2 in :48.22 out 5/8's 1:01.41 up 1:15.41.

VERRAZANO, who only raced 13 days ago, had a mundane drill with Authenticity, not being asked and not really attacking the work either. He remains the same striking looking colt I saw in Florida in January. Gary Stevens was aboard..

Mike Welsch ‏@DRFWelsch Verrazano 5f.:59.95 in co. G3 placed Authenticity, broke off 1-1/2 lengths back, fin. neck in front, out 1:13.13 up 1:26.64. Mate held tuff.


REVOLUTIONARY worked a nice half with Calvin, finish the second quarter very nicely (:23+) and galloping out away from his workmate without being asked..

Mike Welsch ‏@DRFWelsch Revolutionary, Borel up, 4f. :48.73 scrapping rail, finished under a hold, appeared to switch leads nearing wire, out 1:01.36 up 1:15.13.

Given his time off since the Rebel, WILL TAKE CHARGE had what had to be a fairly necessary 1m work and I only saw the early and late portions as well as the gallop out. Here are the eighths and quarters:

13.3
12.2 (26.0)
12.3
12.2 (25.0)
12.4
13.0 (25.4)
12.3
12.1 (24.4)

1:41.3

Seemed to be all on his own..

Should toss in that I saw CHARMING KITTEN for the first time and he looks and moves completely like a turf horse with that prancey, high knee action.. PALACE MALICE was out as well and looks no worse for wear for having wheeled back in the Blue Grass of the Louisiana Derby fiasco..

It was Don Chatlos. I saw the picture and he did look skinny, but its impossible to know how he normally carries his weight to compare.

Did you get a look at Mylute by chance?

CLOSE HATCHES had the most spirited looking drill of the 8:30 special session going a very sharp half under a hold by the exercise girl. Nice.. MIDNIGHT LUCKY went twice around two minute licking and just at a passing glance, looks physically more sprint than route to me..

Mike Welsch ‏@DRFWelsch Close Hatches :23.56 went 1/2 in :47.78 out 5/8's 1:01.38 up 1:15.84 for Oaks.

Did not unfortunately.. Went at 6a and was quite strong according to Welsch. Considering that last week's drill was his 'Derby work', clockers that saw both were impressed that MY LUTE was as aggressive as he was today given his reputation for indifference when working solo..

Mike Welsch ‏@DRFWelsch Mylute 12.48 24.57 1/2 in 47.80 going ez last 1/4 23.23 finished well but out average 101.86 with Rosie up.

Mike also noted that OXBOW was out for his gallop early and had to be dissuaded from doing more..

Surprised that Chatlos would say anything with him not knowing the horse at all. Normandy Invasion is a narrow type in the Real Quiet mode. Cherie says he's always been lean and trim.

4/21 WORKOUT VIDEOS

VERRAZANO: http://t.co/olAgeFo9KT

REVOLUTIONARY: http://t.co/d0FIEaeLmw

NORMANDY INVASION: http://t.co/ODHUpekOah

CLOSE HATCHES: http://t.co/YBXP8h53Mf

WILL TAKE CHARGE (Stretch): http://t.co/MS3A9SEzdG

More to come..

Churchill Downs PR (Darren Rogers) ‏@DerbyMedia Complete rundown of today's #KyDerby & #KyOaks news and notes @ChurchillDowns: http://bit.ly/11syFa4

Midnight Lucky --

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOVmhkWMEP4

No doubt, baby got back!

Crinkle



trash can for me


Frac Daddy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMIEc9oGzj4

4/20:

Dreaming of Julia.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGoaZt8PuN8

tankx for linx
 

that move by Revolutionary was sharp. He just moves nicely barely touching the track

My uncles a 10x bigger mush than me and he decleared today that he loves this horse. Here's a few texts from him.

The rev can show. Speed if he. Wnts. Wants. A lot off these horses will struggle at a mile and quarter rev stays healthy got a huge shot !!!!

Told you as soon as we get too simulcast that day putting 1 hundred across on the rev

The chemistry you two have is electric. I'd like to see a show with you two and I can't imagine I'm alone.

Be at racino Oaks day and reservations Saturday at the racino at Fortunes. Feel free to join us either day.

bert and ernie

I meant you and Alabama Stakes. Maybe hit Capital back up and pitch them the idea.

I'd rather throw myself in front of a bus than spend a minute in public with you, but thanks.

No problem.

Should I just look for the loudmouth in jorts? Be like looking for a needle in a haystack there.

Khaki shorts in 2 weeks. Gotta be comfortable on the big handle days. Ill happily buy you a drink. You can even meet Uncle Dave.

Is he speaking whereof he knows not, or is this a case of trying to get better odds on what sounds like a wiseguy horse? How much does this kind of rumormongering lead to people clutching pearls vs. doing research and going 'Oh he's always like that, phfew. No problem.'

Mylute's sure getting a lot of buzz from that work. How big is he? Very Midnight Lute-ish?

i just wonder about mylutes breeding. i put him in my stable mail last summer when he ran at CD think he came in 3rd but just liked the way he ran and i had a feeling that the midnight lutes would do something b/c i rememberd that he was bafferts KD horse till the breathing issues came up. Man this KD is one of the weirder ones ive seen in the 15yrs ive been paying attention.

I have never not had a Derby horse. I like Oxbow a lot, but it's hard to be confident in him after his last. I could use 6 horses, and not include 1 Pletcher runner. Weird for sure.

Great Redeemer was a Derby horse.

oooooooo
 

Bill Buckner already tried that, but the bus went right through his legs.

Midnight Lucky looked nice working with Power Broker this morning..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyCxc-WFqxM

Oxbow looking like the energizer bunny -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2NVV8IRDBU

I was wondering what you meant by the energizer bunny. after watching that work, I feel ya man. It'l be up to him to beat Revolutionary in the Belmont or Triple Crown could be in the cards.

Watch Her Sprint And Win @ 1 1/8 by All
 

Steve,She goes 1 1/16 in 1:41 flat completely shut down for the last 1/16th
There is nothing wrong with thinking She's the "Next one" just because Bob B
is her trainer!
I have before and will continue to eat my words but at this point I think she will dominate at a good price (because of the Todd Squad fillies)
5-1 I hope this will give me a large bankroll for the 1st Saturday in May!:eek::tro:

The comment of mine you quoted is regarding Sunday's gallop appearance on the track.. not Monday's work. As discussed with Mike Welsch, she embarrassed Power Broker in the drill Monday. Mike Smith is motionless on her in the stretch and Dana Barnes is asking Power Broker just to stay with her. Midnight Lucky likely Oaks 3rd choice with Dreaming of Julia and Beholder ahead of her on the pecking order. You should get all of 5-1. Can tell you she is 2nd best on the sheets (Thoro Graph) only to Dreaming of Julia's insane Gulfstream number.

Oxbow looked terrific. Here's Mike's comment and note the highlight. That's a code for Dublin and Optimizer coming into their Derbys on the nod. Those two dragged themselves around in the mornings and shut down quickly after their works. Oxbow coming towards this Derby in top shape..

Oxbow (five furlongs in 1:00.95) breezed closer to six furlongs than five as he took a long run at the pole after being released from the pony by trainer D. Wayne Lukas. With jockey Gary Stevens aboard, Oxbow showed a high energy level right from the start, and Stevens did well to slow him down to a 24.42-second opening quarter and 36.36 three-furlong split.

Running with his head cocked inward, Oxbow fanned out about four paths wide entering the stretch, switched leads right on cue, and was straight as a string to the wire, completing his final quarter in 24.59 without any urging by Stevens.

Although in past years, Lukas’s Derby runners rarely did much during the gallop-out, Oxbow continued on strongly into and around the turn, getting six furlongs in 1:14.48 before pulling up seven-eighths in 1:28.67. It was a sharp move for a horse who may fly under the radar a bit and figures to show much more early speed after being hauled back early and turning in a disappointing effort in the Arkansas Derby.

unless he keeps this up. Wow.

FD is 2 for 2 n exacta at CD. Is there any other horse that can claim to that placing?

Not sure you are going to get "good price (5-1)" on her. I think she goes off as the small fav (5-2)...

Close hatches is the one i'm liking... Mott has her cranked!!

He has also been well-beaten by most of the field more than twice and I'm not willing to wager that the surface is going to help him that much considering how many horses are looking good right now.

Midnight Lucky is going to get more respect at the windows than she should, but she won't be favored. Dreaming of Julia has that locked up.

Isn't DoJ going to be in the even money range?

At least, i can see 3/5