PLETCHER DERBY, OAKS CONTENDERS WORK FRIDAY
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, April 22, 2022) – Derby season is here and Churchill Downs was bustling with excitement Friday morning as 10 Derby and Oaks contenders logged their penultimate work prior to the first weekend in May. Half of those workers were from Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn – Oaks contenders Goddess of Fire (five furlongs, 1:00.80); Nest (four furlongs, :49.80); and Shahama (five furlongs, 1:00.80) and Derby contenders Charge It (five furlongs, 1:00.40) and Mo Donegal (four furlongs, :50.20).
Other Derby and Oaks contenders that worked Friday were Barber Road (six furlongs, 1:16.40); Beguine (five furlongs, 1:01); Cocktail Moments (five furlongs, 1:01.20); Turnerloose (five furlongs, 1:01.20) and Zozos (six furlongs, 1:12.40).
The Pletcher squad began their works at 6 a.m. (all times Eastern) with the trio of Oaks breezes. Red Oak Stable’s Gulfstream Park Oaks (GII) runner-up Goddess of Fire worked on the inside of KHK Racing’s UAE Oaks (GIII) winner Shahama through fractions of :13.20, :25.60 and :37.40. The duo galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.20 and completed seven furlongs in 1:26. Their stablemate, Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House’s recent Ashland (GI) heroine Nest, worked an easy half-mile outside of Inventing through eighth-mile clockings of :13.20, :25.40 and :37.80. They galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.60.
“Nest went a nice half in about :50 and galloped out nicely,” Pletcher said. “We were looking for a little bit more from Goddess of Fire and Shahama. Goddess of Fire hasn’t run since the Fair Grounds Oaks and Shahama hasn’t run since the UAE Oaks. So, we were looking for a little bit of a stronger work from them. They galloped out well and I was pleased with how they went.”
About 90 minutes later, Pletcher’s Derby duo of Whisper Hill Farm’s Florida Derby (GI) runner-up Charge It and Donegal Racing’s Wood Memorial (GII) winner Mo Donegal worked in separate sets. Charge It was the first of the two to work and went in company outside Cezanne through fractions of :12, :25.40, :37.60. They galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.80 and seven furlongs in 1:25. Charge It completed his move with a one-mile time of 1:38.60. Mo Donegal breezed outside of My Prankster through composed early fractions of :13 and :26.20. They galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.20.
“With Charge It, we were looking for a good, solid breeze,” Pletcher said. “He went a minute and four-fifths with a super big gallop out. We were really happy with that. With Mo Donegal, with the Wood just 13 days ago, we were just looking for an easy half in :50. He had a nice gallop out as well. All the horses got over the track well. The track still had a little moisture in it from yesterday but they all handled it well.”
Jockey Irad Oritz Jr. was at Churchill Downs to work both Nest and Mo Donegal on Friday for Pletcher.
“Nest is improving race by race,” Ortiz said. “We really loved her since Day 1. Hopefully, we can get lucky that day. Mo Donegal is a really good horse. He is nice and quiet. He does everything we ask him to do. It looks like he should like the distance. It shouldn’t be a problem with him. With a mile-and-a-quarter for 3-year-olds, he’s the type of style you want for that day.”
Pletcher’s third Derby contender, Pioneer of Medina, galloped at 8:15 a.m.
At 7:30 a.m., WSS Racing’s Arkansas Derby (GI) runner-up Barber Road worked solo with jockey Reylu Gutierrez in the saddle. The son of Race Day easily galloped through opening splits of :13.60, :26.60, :39.60 and :51.80. He completed his seven-furlong gallop out in 1:29.
Shortly before Barber Road worked, Barry and Joni Butzow’s TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (GII) runner-up Zozos breezed with jockey Florent Geroux in the saddle outside of stablemate Fulsome through swift quarter-mile times of :24 and :48.40. The duo galloped out around the clubhouse through seven furlongs in 1:25.20.
“It was another really strong move,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He galloped out really well around the turn and is really doing well over this track. He’s a quick horse as he showed in the Louisiana Derby but he settles into his works nicely.”
Twenty minutes following Zozo’s move, Cox also worked Ike and Dawn Thrash’s Rachel Alexandra (GII) winner Turnerloose five furlongs in 1:01.20 inside of Grade I-winner Juju’s Map.
Saturday is expected to be another busy morning at Churchill Downs. Arkansas Derby (GI) winner Cyberknife is slated to work at 5:15 a.m. Other known Derby and Oaks workers include Smile Happy, Tiz the Bomb and Un Ojo.
Friday at 6 p.m., “Inside Churchill Downs” will cover the Friday morning works along with give fans an update on the latest Derby and Oaks news and notes. Fans can listen live on ESPN 680/105.7 in the Louisville area or online at
www.espnlouisville.com.
Saturday is the first morning for the exclusive Oaks/Derby training window from 7:30-7:45 a.m. Fans can watch the livestream on the Kentucky Derby’s social media channels.