Churchill: 17 Oaks, Derby Hopefuls Log Final Breezes Sponsored by:
Known Agenda breezes inside Sainthood at Churchill Downs on Friday, April 23
On a cool Kentucky morning, a total of 17 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses put in their final timed workouts before next weekend s editions of the $3 million Derby and $1.25 million Oaks.
The fastest move of the morning was a half-mile drill in :46.20 by Keepmeinmind, with Dynamic One, one of four Derby workers for Todd Pletcher, having the second-fastest clocking of the 108 at the distance in :47.80.
Other Derby workers for Pletcher were Bourbonic (half-mile in :49.60) and Known Agenda and Sainthood (five furlongs together in 1:01.
Louisville, Ky.
The name Phil Thomas does not appear in present-day past performances. The last race on his training record was run more than three years ago. His last winner was at the end of the summer of 2013. But something he said resonates to this day with horseplayers handicapping the Kentucky Derby.
“I bet if you looked at it,” he said, “horses that won the Derby came fast the last quarter-mile of their last prep.”
That was how Jennie Rees recalled a seminal conversation years ago with Thomas. Now a publicist for racetracks and a horsemen’s association, Rees back then was a respected turf writer for
Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Dream Shake Apr 22, 2021 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com (Benoit Photography)
Exline-Border Racing, SAF Racing, and Richard Hausman’s Dream Shake earned 30 points on the 2021 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series this season. He ranks in 18th place on the leaderboard, and the dark bay boasts a career mark of 3-1-0-2, $162,600.
Trained by Peter Eurton, Dream Shake made his first appearance at Santa Anita on February 7 in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight dash. The 20-1 shot broke slowly but gained momentum nearing the turn for home, and drew off to a visually impressive first-out score. The son of Twirling Candy was given his first graded stakes assignment on March 6 in the San Felipe S. (G2) and checked in third in his first effort around two turns. In his most recent contest, the colt finished a clear third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) at nine furlongs.
Derby Notes: Improving O Besos Shows Strong Gallop Out In Final Breeze Sponsored by:
Trainer Greg Foley leads Kentucky Derby contender O Besos off the track on Thursday morning
Bernard Racing LLC, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry L. Stephens O Besos was the lone Derby contender to breeze Thursday at Churchill Downs where he cruised a half-mile in :48.
With jockey Marcelino Pedroza in the saddle, O Besos began his work at the three-furlong pole and worked through early fractions of :12 and :36.20. Pedroza shook the reins at the Orb colt at the wire where he picked up his tempo through a five-furlong gallop out of 1:00 and continued six furlongs in 1:12.60.
With several bigger-name horses either bypassing or not qualifying for the Run for the Roses, Ron Flatter bemoans too much filler in the field at Churchill Downs.