[Kasept]

Clocker: Lani his own worst enemy
By Mike Welsch

CHURCHILL DOWNS
Track: Good/Fast
Weather: Cloudy
Temp.: 67

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As if there aren’t enough variables in the equation to get a horse ready to be at his best on Kentucky Derby Day, you can now add weather to the mix. Overnight rain hit here Tuesday, and with more in the forecast as the week progresses, it is likely to have a major effect on training and workout schedules through the weekend.

Despite heavy rain the previous evening, the main track was harrowed and in excellent shape when it opened for training at 5:45 a.m. on Wednesday. The track was labeled “good” to start off before being upgraded to “fast” in time for the special Derby/Oaks training session nearly three hours later.

The lone Derby worker of the morning was UAE Derby winner LANI, who has been a bit of an enigma since his arrival in Louisville. The Japanese invader appeared to have turned the corner with a couple of long and aggressive gallops the previous two mornings. But he was back to his old antics before and during what had been a scheduled six-furlong work but which ended up being shortened to three-eighths, timed in 37.52, due to his reluctance to cooperate with regular rider Yutaka Take, who flew into town specifically for this breeze.

Lani appeared to be out of sorts from the moment he came onto the racetrack and seemed to dig his toes in as he galloped slowly past the finish line and made his way into the clubhouse turn. Take was ultimately able to drop Lani down on the rail nearing the six-furlong pole, but the son of Tapit refused to extend himself while inadvertently hooking in with Destin, who had just begun his routine gallop. Take prodded Lani on numerous occasions to get him to accelerate but failed until Lani reached the three-eighths pole and finally separated himself from Destin.

Lani completed an eighth of a mile to the top of the stretch in 14.43 seconds, then finally stretched out down the lane under vigorous urging from his rider, lugging in briefly from a sharp right-handed stick near the eighth pole before completing a final quarter in 23.09 while remaining on his left lead throughout. He eased up midway on the clubhouse turn after galloping out a half-mile in 50.93.

“He was a little shy to start, but after the quarter pole, we got a good gallop for two furlongs,” Take said.

This was the third time, and the second time in the last four days, that Lani has shown a reluctance to extend himself when put down on the rail to breeze. Needless to say, that is not what anyone wants to see just 1 1/2 weeks out from Derby Day.

Among the gallopers to catch the eye this morning were OUTWORK and the Chad Brown-trained duo of SHAGAF and MY MAN SAM. Outwork has made a very favorable impression in his first two gallops over the track and gives the appearance of a horse who continues to improve and is peaking at the right time. Both Shagaf and My Man Sam came out of their works on Sunday showing a good deal of energy. My Man Sam was the more aggressive of the pair, jumping back to his left lead briefly at midstretch while obviously wanting to do more than his rider would allow.

MO TOM, who may have breezed this morning if it hadn’t rained, looked as good as always, galloping before dawn rather than during the Derby/Oaks session. Mo Tom galloped two miles, picking up the pace, as usual, the second time around. He covered mile No. 2 in 1:55 and change before pulling up near the six-furlong pole, reversing direction, and jogging nearly another mile back to his barn.

MOHAYMEN got very aggressive again once he turned down the backstretch, throwing his head a couple of times before dragging his rider from the three-eighths pole to the wire in 42 seconds while kept well out near the middle of the track.

DESTIN again appeared to lose focus on several occasions once he lost Lani as a partner midway on the second turn, despite being equipped with blinkers, and he got very warm by the time he completed the gallop.

VENUS VALENTINE was the only Oaks worker of the morning, breezing immediately after the track opened for training. The Grade 2 winner went four furlongs in 49.20 while responding readily to late urging before galloping out willingly into and around the turn.