Belmont '16 Notebook: Gettysburg to run; Asmussen to train

[Kasept]

Kentucky Derby clocker: Mor Spirit sizzles, then simmers
By Mike Welsch

Churchill Downs
Weather: Clear
Track: Fast Temp. 71

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Trainer Bob Baffert arrived in town on Monday and wasted little time getting down to work, sending out a handful of his stakes horses to breeze at Churchill Downs on Tuesday morning, including key Kentucky Derby contender Mor Spirit, who zipped five furlongs over a quick track under clear and relatively balmy conditions during the special Derby/Oaks training session shortly after 8:30 a.m.

With regular rider Gary Stevens aboard, and equipped with blinkers, Mor Spirit, who runs with his head down, was very eager going to the pole outside workmate Jimbo Fallon, a 4-year-old maiden whose only start came one year ago. The duo blasted away from the 4 ½-furlong marker, clipping off eye-catching splits of 22.38 for the opening quarter, 33.93 for three-eighths, and 46.11 completing a half-mile at midstretch. Mor Spirit held a short advantage at that point, but never could put away his partner. He wearied noticeably during his closing furlong which took him through the finish line and into the clubhouse turn. The final eighth was in 13.68 seconds and completed a 59.79 drill. Mor Spirit held a head advantage at the point, the pair remaining pretty much on even terms galloping out in 1:13.21 before pulling up seven furlongs in 1:27.32.

Baffert simply commented, “He worked well today,” a short while later. “He’s never been a real willing worker. It seemed like Gary didn’t go too hard on him. This track is pretty quick, but it was good for him, he got into it. He likes the surface.”

Having never seen Mor Spirit work in person before this morning, it’s tough to be too harsh a critic, although it’s never a positive sign seeing a horse especially keyed up breaking off for a work, or wearying at the end while unable to run away from a lightly raced maiden as was the case here. Expect to see Mor Spirit back for one last breeze prior to the Derby early next week.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY WORKOUTS: Video analysis, news, and times

While Mor Spirit turned in the only recorded work of the morning, several of his likely rivals on Derby Day were given the opportunity to really stretch their legs, including south Florida invader Majesto, Arkansas Derby runner-up Suddenbreakingnews, the Japanese invader Lani, and Mo Tom, who continues to impress on a regular basis.

Majesto was among the first of the Derby horses on the track and he turned in a lively, open gallop during which he covered six furlongs from the five-eighths pole past the wire in 1:22.83. An impressive-looking animal, Majesto has continued to improve with experience and appears to relish the relatively glib going of the local surface as compared to his deeper, cuppier home course at Gulfstream Park West.

Suddenbreakingnews was also allowed to open up a bit this morning, and he too galloped at a lively pace for an extended period, looking strong with his ears pricked coming down the lane the final time.

Lani has made a huge turnaround over the last 48 hours, turning in a high-spirited gallop for the second consecutive morning after struggling over the course on Sunday. As was the case on Monday, he cruised at much better than a two-minute-mile pace for the majority of what was a two-mile gallop as a prelude to a scheduled work on Wednesday.

Mo Tom has made a favorable impression each of the last three mornings and certainly seems to be carrying a very good fitness level. He came down the stretch, from the quarter pole to the wire, in 27.15 while picking up the pace of his gallop the second time around once again today.

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out his two Derby hopefuls for the first time locally and both looked well. Tampa Bay Derby winner Destin got a little warm, but has a tendency to do so, and seemed to be gazing around a bit at the new surroundings despite galloping with blinkers on. Wood winner Outwork also had his head cocked out some coming down the lane, but was striding out extremely well moving through the wire and into the clubhouse bend.

There is heavy rain in the forecast over the local area this evening with more precipitation predicted over the next several days, all of which could disrupt workout schedules into the weekend.

[casp0555]

Thanks for posting Steve!

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by casp0555

Thanks for posting Steve!

Mike Welsch's Tuesday ATR Report (After Motion): http://stevebyk.com/broadcast/hour-2...graham-motion/

[tanner12oz]

Who is in the lead after the first quarter? Danzig candy? Outwork?

[Alabama Stakes]

Candy is loose.

[10 pnt move up]

lots of fast-slows finishes in these derby preps...derby will probably be more of the same.

[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.