[Kasept]

Kentucky Derby clocker: Cyberknife works strong five furlongs

Mike Welsch | Apr 23, 2022

Churchill Downs
Weather: Clear
Track: Fast
Temp: 65

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The action started early, as it usually does when trainer Brad Cox has a Kentucky Derby or Breeders’ Cup horse scheduled for an important work, on Saturday morning at Churchill Downs with CYBERKNIFE and jockey Florent Geroux ready to get down to business just minutes after the racetrack opened for training at 5:15 a.m.

Cyberknife had stablemate Koolhaus for a partner, breaking off several lengths behind before readily overtaking his target once settling into the stretch. The Arkansas Derby winner had little trouble pulling well clear of his overmatched mate, hitting the wire several lengths in front while still well within himself after negotiating five furlongs in 1:00.09. He increased that advantage while completing six panels into the turn in 1:12.38 before galloping out seven-eighths in a very solid 1:24.39 without need of encouragement on Geroux’s part. Reportedly a horse who rarely disappoints in the morning, Cyberknife gave every indication that he has bounced out of his career-best effort at Oaklawn in top form.

The special Kentucky Derby/Oaks training session at 7:30 was a relatively busy one, with three potential Derby starters and three for the Oaks turning in what is likely to be penultimate drills for their respective races. Adding a little spice to the fire was an appearance by Tampa Bay Derby winner Classic Causeway, sans a Kentucky Derby towel, with regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for a significant piece of work.

The most notable drill of the 15-minute session was turned in by the Ken McPeek-trained pair of SMILE HAPPY and TIZ THE BOMB, who worked in company from the five-eighths pole. Tiz the Bomb broke outside his mate with Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard, while Smile Happy, who got a bit hot in the coat this morning, was on the rail and piloted by his regular rider Corey Lanerie. The duo breezed an easy five furlongs, finishing virtually on even terms, with Tiz the Bomb getting the faster time, 1:01.18 by virtue of the fact he broke off a length back of his mate, although it was Smile Happy (1:01.38) who appeared to be going a touch easier to the wire and held a slight edge on the gallop out, which appeared average at best.

Derby longshot UN OJO turned in a credible five-furlong breeze going solo over the fast track, showing off his speed to post a 35.09 opening three-furlong split before completing the distance in 59.66 under some nudging pressure to continue. The 75-1 Rebel winner continued three-quarters under some additional prodding in a very respectable 1:12.71.

CLASSIC CAUSEWAY, who is probably more likely to wind up in the Pat Day Mile than the Derby, proved too good for his company, drawing four lengths clear at the wire after five panels in 35.86, 1:00.38. A major disappointment when tiring badly in the Florida Derby, Classic Causeway had good energy continuing out another quarter-mile under Ortiz this morning, easing up after seven furlongs in 1:27.86.

At Keeneland, ZENDON showed absolutely no ill effects from his winning effort in the Blue Grass, working four furlongs in 48.60 before galloping out "powerfully" according to Daily Racing Form clocker Donald Harris, going five-eighths in 1:00.80 and six furlongs in 1:13.80 before easing up seven-eighths in 1:27.60. Zendon may have just stamped himself the Derby favorite off this drill.

FRIDAY

Five likely Derby starters worked on Friday, four over a track that still had some moisture in it at Churchill Downs and a fifth, Simplification, over his home track at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Todd Pletcher’s pair of Wood runner-up MO DONEGAL and Florida Derby second-place finisher CHARGE IT breezed in separate sets with two entirely different goals in mind. Mo Donegal breezed a very easy maintenance half-mile with fellow 3-year-old My Prankster and the relatively inexperienced Charge It, still playing a little catch-up coming into the Derby, going a strong five furlongs in company with the older, vastly more accomplished graded stakes winner Cezanne, finishing strong and galloping out full of run before easing up a mile in 1:38.60 per track clockers.

Earlier in the morning, Cox’s ZOZOS also turned in a solid drill, going six furlongs from the five-eighths in 1:12.40 per track clockers, ultimately getting the better on the gallop out of the older, three-time Grade 3 winner Fulsome. Zozos did work with his head cocked outward toward the grandstand while traveling along easily in the run down the long, Churchill Downs stretch.

BARBER ROAD had a bit of an oddly orchestrated six-furlong breeze, barely getting out of an open gallop for an opening half-mile in a dawdling 52.14 before being set down to race-mode encouragement from the three-sixteenths pole to and well beyond the wire, responding with a 24.02 final quarter before sustaining excellent momentum going out a mile in 1:42.38.

At Gulfstream Park, SIMPLIFICATION continues to progress nicely since his third-place finish in the Florida Derby, turning in a second straight very noteworthy five-furlong work punctuated by a stellar gallop out. Working over a lively strip with jockey Junior Alvarado up, Simplification completed five-eighths in 59.42 with his rider like a statue before continuing full of run into and around the turn under just a light reminder to gallop out six furlongs in 1:11.95 before easing but not completely pulling up after a mile in an eye-catching 1:37.52.



OAKS

Saturday’s trio of Oaks workers after the first renovation break included HIDDEN CONNECTION, completing a pressured six furlongs from the five-eighths in 1:13.79; NOSTALGIC, doing an easy half in company in 48.80, and VENTI VALENTINE, running four furlongs in a lively 47.20 per track clockers.

Friday morning was dominated by a trio of Pletcher fillies, topped by the undefeated NEST, who went a maintenance-like half in 49.80 under Ortiz before being headed on the gallop out by maiden mate Inventing and the Oaks-bound duo of SHAHAMA and GODDESS OF FIRE, with the former proving much the best on the gallop out after completing five panels in 1:00.74, easing up after seven-eighths in 1:26.07 while holding the edge going easily outside her pressured mate.