[Kasept]

Kentucky Derby clocker report: Cyberknife, Zozos team up for sharp workout

Mike Welsch | Apr 30, 2022

Churchill Downs
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 65
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Saturday was the busiest morning yet on the Kentucky Derby/Oaks workout front at Churchill Downs. The majority of the action took place during a very hectic special training session that happens daily beginning at 7:30 a.m. and is restricted to horses competing in the two big events here next weekend.

A dozen likely starters turned in their all-important final works for this year’s Derby, 11 of them locally and a 12th, Happy Jack, about 70 miles down the turnpike at Keeneland. Four potential Oaks runners also worked here on a bulky (213 horses) and star-studded workout tab Saturday.

The weather has moderated some over the past 24-48 hours, with temperatures in the mid-60s when stablemates Cyberknife and Zozos kicked off the action just minutes after the racetrack, which was definitely on the quick side this morning, opened for training at 5:15 a.m.

CYBERKNIFE and ZOZOS proved a well-matched team going in tandem much of the way, the former getting a slightly faster final time after breaking off a length behind and outside his mate, completing five panels in 58.94 seconds before continuing six furlongs in 1:11.55 and out seven-eighths in 1:24.56. Both horses were pretty much on their own throughout, with Cyberknife, Florent Geroux aboard, perhaps holding the slight edge running out on the turn with Zozos, Flavien Prat in the saddle, not giving an inch while turning in a second straight very encouraging work of his own.

CHARGE IT and PIONEER OF MEDINA were the first workers after the renovation break and likewise were pretty nicely matched, with the former perhaps slightly best of the good-looking, Todd Pletcher-trained duo who breezed four furlongs in 23.71 and 47.66 before continuing full of run into and around the club turn, getting five furlongs under just a hint of encouragement in 59.91 before easing up three-quarters in 1:12.66 and pulling up a full mile in 1:39.68. Regular rider Luis Saez put Charge It, who has thrived since arriving locally nearly two weeks earlier, through his paces during a work that concluded while the warning siren was blaring, indicating a loose horse on the track at the time.

Pletcher also had to be pleased with what he saw from MO DONEGAL just moments later, with the Wood Memorial winner going in company with My Prankster and holding the edge throughout under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Mo Donegal, who has also looked good here on a regular basis this past week, went an easy half in 23.56 and 48.83 in hand to the wire before galloping out very willingly, five furlongs in 1:01.56, up six panels in 1:14.57.

The teamwork for the Kenny McPeek-trained duo of TIZ THE BOMB and SMILE HAPPY obviously didn’t go quite as planned after the latter dropped about five lengths behind his mate, breaking off at the half-mile pole. Tiz The Bomb maintained a comfortable advantage going easily throughout under Brian Hernandez Jr., with Smile Happy not mustering much of a closing response, making up a length or so to the wire while being nudged a tad by Corey Lanerie in an attempt to bridge the gap. Daily Racing Form had the leader in 24.13 and 49.03 and out in 1:02.06, as Tiz the Bomb was arguably the more impressive of the pair today.

CLASSIC CAUSEWAY, a late addition to the race after a nice five-furlong drill last week, stretched to six panels for his final Derby prep and looked good again, breaking behind workmate Soumion and readily drawing well clear of his pressured mate while traveling easily throughout under jockey Julien Leparoux. Classic Causeway, who figures to be part of the early pace in the Derby, completed the distance in 36.97, 48.69, and 1:13.26 before being allowed to ease up around the clubhouse turn.

TAWNY PORT, the third of Cox’s Derby trio, had Geroux up going an easy four furlongs in 49.42 out in 1:02.40, shading 36 seconds for his final three-eighths after walking away from the half-mile pole at a leisurely pace.

Nothing to knock about UN OJO, a decided Derby longshot, who drilled a relatively easy half-mile in 47.39 before going out five panels in 1:00.07 over a very fast track.

:: Get Derby Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the DRF Clocker Team to access exclusive insights from the morning workouts

BARBER ROAD was very workmanlike in what appeared to be strictly a maintenance drill this morning, showing good energy again on the gallop-out while kept out near the middle of the track to prevent him from doing too much a week out from the big event. Barber Road is another who has made a favorable impression this past week.

At Keeneland, HAPPY JACK had a set-down mile work to cap off his serious Derby preparations, going in splits of 26.05, 51.53, and 1:16.72 before completing the distance in 1:40.36 while put to a race-like drive by his rider from the half-mile pole to the wire.

On the Oaks ledger, the most noteworthy work was turned in by the undefeated KATHLEEN O., who posted a decent 24.47 and 48.05 half-mile clocking but struggled to keep pace late with stablemate Smokin’ T, a 3-year-old first-level allowance winner, while being set down hard to the wire and never able to get on even terms with his partner despite being kept under pressure into and around the turn.

It was NOSTALGIC’s partner Mendenhall who lost the rider and briefly ran loose at the start of the Derby-Oaks session. She was quickly corralled and returned to Nostalgic’s side, serving as an escort for the Grade 3 Gazelle winner who breezed an easy, maintenance-like half in 49.06 looking happy and with plenty in reserve going out five-eighths in 1:02.38.

Oaks candidate CANDY RAID was among the final workers during the special session, breezing a half in 48.88, and up in 1:02.32.

CROWN PRIDE showed off that abundant energy level again in a carbon copy of his Friday training session and seems primed for another big work.