Now that most of the contenders are stabled at Churchill Downs, I will start posting the workout notes daily. Check back for the latest news.
Afleet Alex Works A Half-Mile In :48.40
High Limit, Greeley's Galaxy To Work Wednesday Buzzards Bay, Giacomo Scheduled To Arrive Wednesday
AFLEET ALEX - Cash is King Stable's Afleet Alex completed his major preparation for the 131st Kentucky Derby by working a half-mile in :48.40 under Derby rider Jeremy Rose this morning.
Going out after the renovation break, Afleet Alex jogged briefly in the mile chute before making one trip around the track with trainer Tim Ritchey alongside on the pony. Working solo, Afleet Alex was caught in fractions of :13.40, :25.60, :36.80 and out five furlongs in 1:01.40. The move tied for the fourth fastest of 37 at the distance.
"It was just what we wanted," Ritchey said. "He started out nice and easy and finished down the lane, which is what we wanted him to do. That's all I needed to do today, kind of an easy maintenance work that should set him up well for the race."
It was the second work at Churchill Downs for Afleet Alex since winning the Arkansas Derby (GII) on April 16. He worked a bullet five furlongs in :59 on April 26.
"It is good to get this work underneath you," Ritchey said. "Now he will have a few light days and look forward to running Saturday. He will probably go out tomorrow and jog one or two times around, and maybe go twice (to the track) on Thursday and once Friday. Saturday morning, he probably will walk a long time, two or three times and then go to the paddock (for the Derby)."
Afleet Alex has six victories and two seconds in nine career starts with the lone off-the-board finish coming in the March 19 Rebel Stakes (GIII) in which he finished last of six in a race in which he ran with a lung infection.
"When we detected the problem, I was still very confident that we would go on to the Triple Crown races," Ritchey said. "It is not a major thing. It just affects horses and they don't run their race. It is an easily curable problem. He showed in the Arkansas Derby it was obviously curable.
"We scoped him after his first work here and he was fine. We will scope him later today just to be sure, but I don't foresee any problems. I think if he runs his race, he will be right there. I really think he has a legitimate shot."
With six starts in graded stakes, three in Grade I's, Afleet Alex has more appearances in U.S. graded events than any prospective starter for Derby 131.
"He has been battle tested," Ritchey said. "He has always shown up, except for the one race when he had the lung infection. He's a trier. If somebody beats him, they are going to have to run to beat him."
That seasoning is a big plus to Ritchey.
"I think it helps a lot," Ritchey said, "but I know just running horses in general, when you get to bigger races, when you have a horse that has been tested, you know what he is and what he is capable of. Some of the horses that are moving way up have got only two or three races in them. Yes, they might have run very well, but now they are looking at a 20-horse field."
Ritchey was asked if he thought the mile and a quarter Derby distance would be a problem for Afleet Alex.
"I think he'll go two miles," Ritchey said with a laugh. "He trained five miles the other day and was pretty fresh after the second time he came back. I don't understand that (the question about distance), because on his bottom side, there is a ton of distance pedigree. You have Hawaii, Hawkster; mile and a quarter, mile and a half horses. I could never understand that. When we originally bought this horse, one of the reasons I bought him was to have a horse go a distance of ground. He has natural speed, but I think you've got a ton of endurance."
ANDROMEDA'S HERO / BELLAMY ROAD / HIGH FLY / NOBLE CAUSEWAY / SUN KING - Trainer Nick Zito was back at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning after spending Monday morning at Keeneland to oversee the 25 horses he has stabled there.
Among the Keeneland contingent is Robert LaPenta's Andromeda's Hero, who galloped a mile and a half at Keeneland on Tuesday under exercise rider Megan Smillie.
The Fusaichi Pegasus colt had worked at Churchill Downs on Thursday and Zito was asked if he was pleased with what he saw Monday after a spate of four days.
"He looked fabulous," the two-time Derby winning conditioner said. "He will come back over here Thursday."
Rafael Bejarano, who has ridden Andromeda's Hero in three of six starts, picked up the mount Monday when his scheduled Derby call, Consolidator, was retired because of injury.
Zito's four Churchill Downs-based hopefuls galloped a mile and a half Tuesday. Carlos Correa was on Bellamy Road, Noble Causeway and Sun King, and Maxine Correa was on High Fly.
