DAILY DERBY UPDATE: Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Includes Kentucky Oaks update

ANGEL OF EMPIRE/HIT SHOW/JACE’S ROAD, VERIFYING  – It was another routine morning at trainer Brad Cox’s Barn 22 with all four of his Kentucky Derby contenders having routine gallops.

Albaugh Family Stable’s Angel of Empire was the first of Cox’s quartet of Kentucky Derby contenders to train at 5:30 a.m.

At 7:30 a.m., Gary and Mary West’s Hit Show, West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stable’s Jace’s Road and Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor’s Verifying all had 1 ½-mile gallops.

“We’re pretty excited coming into this Derby,” Cox said. “We have four really nice colts and we’re looking forward to next weekend. They’ll all work once more this weekend. We’re keeping an eye on the weather and make a decision in the next 24-48 hours.”

CONFIDENCE GAME  – Don’t Tell My Wife Stables and Ocean Reef Racing’s Confidence Game galloped 1 ¼ miles under Alex Cano during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses.

A two-time winner from four starts at Churchill Downs, Confidence Game would represent the fourth Kentucky Derby starter for trainer Keith Desormeaux, whose best Derby finish came from his first starter in 2016 with Exaggerator’s runner-up effort.

CONTINUAR – Lion Race Horse Co. Ltd.’s Continuar (JPN) warmed up in the mile chute during the first track harrow break of the morning and then galloped 1 ½ miles under Kazunari Yoshida for trainer Yoshito Yahagi.

A winner of two of five career starts, Continuar is scheduled to work Wednesday morning.

DERMA SOTOGAKE  – Hiroyuki Asanuma’s $1.1 million earner Derma Sotogake (JPN), warmed up in the mile chute during the first track maintenance break of the morning and then galloped 1 ¼ miles with Masatoshi Segawa aboard.

Part of the morning activity also included a paddock schooling session for the winner of four of eight starts with the most recent victory coming in the UAE Derby (GII) by 5 ½ lengths.

Trained by Hidetaka Otonashi, Derma Sotogake is scheduled to work Wednesday morning.

DISARM  – Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Disarm had a routine walk day at Barn 38 following his five-furlong move in 1:00 Monday morning at Churchill Downs.

FORTE/KINGSBARNS/MAJOR DUDE/TAPIT TRICE  – One of the rites of spring in Louisville is watching the weather, and for trainer Todd Pletcher, who has had an entrant in every Derby since 2000 except for 2003, this year is no different.

“It wouldn’t be Derby Week without watching the weather,” Pletcher said. “It looks like there is some rain coming in Thursday and it could be a sketchy couple of days.”

Spendthrift Farm’s Kingsbarns and Major Dude worked together last Thursday and both galloped 1 3/8 miles Tuesday morning with Elder Flores aboard Kingsbarns and Joel Osorio on Major Dude.

Pletcher has not named a rider for Kingsbarns.

Major Dude who is No. 23 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard and in need of three defections by entry time Monday to get in the starting gate, has the 32nd running of the $500,000 American Turf (GII) on May 6 as his backup race should he not make the Derby field.

Pletcher’s other Derby hopefuls also galloped 1 3/8 miles during the special Derby/Oaks training window from 7:30-7:45.

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Forte, the probable morning line favorite for Derby 149, was partnered by Hector Ramos while Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable’s Tapit Trice was partnered by Amelia Green.

MAGE –  The Florida Derby (GI) runner-up, who gave likely Kentucky Derby favorite Forte a strong challenge in just his third lifetime start, took to the track for the first time, after arriving yesterday from the long van trip up from the Sunshine State.

For the Run for the Roses, he’ll have Javier Castellano riding. Castellano rode him in the Fountain of Youth (GII) at Gulfstream Park.

“Yesterday, we made the decision on the rider,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., son of the colt’s same-named trainer. “He’s ridden him before, and we didn’t want to try anyone new.”

With exercise rider J.J. Delgado, the colt owned by OGMA Investments LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH galloped easily, going a mile-and-a-quarter.

“He’s a pretty laid-back horse,” Delgado Jr. said. “He gave us the impression that he enjoys the track, so far, so good.”

RAISE CAIN  – Andrew and Rania Warren’s Raise Cain, fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes (GI) in his most recent start, is in need of a rider for Derby 149. Javier Castellano initially was lined up to ride but he has opted to ride Florida Derby (G1) runner-up Mage.

“No rider yet,” trainer Ben Colebrook said. “We will wait it out. Never missed a race yet because of a rider.”

Stabled at Keeneland, Raise Cain is scheduled to work there Thursday morning.

ROCKET CAN –  Trainer Bill Mott sent the colt owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations out for a gallop with regular exercise rider Guelser Cardona aboard.

“He looked good, after we worked him Sunday, he had an easy day yesterday, then had him back on the track this morning,” said the Hall of Fame trainer. “We also walked him over to the temporary paddock that they’ll use this year. It looked like he had good energy, and that he came out of the work in good shape.”

SUN THUNDER –  Trainer Kenny McPeek sent the fourth-place finisher in the Blue Grass Stakes (GI) at Keeneland, to the Churchill Downs track again Tuesday with exercise rider Martin Vargas.

“He galloped a mile-and-a-quarter, and he stood in the starting gate … pretty routine, basic stuff,” McPeek said. “He’ll work on Wednesday.”

WILD ON ICE  – Frank Sumpter’s Wild On Ice had a double schooling day Tuesday when he got acquainted with the Kentucky Derby starting gate and the paddock.

Trainer Joel Marr was alongside the Sunland Park Derby (GIII) at 7:30 a.m. and walked him to the one-mile chute where he schooled in the starting gate with exercise rider Oscar Rojero on board. Then, Wild On Ice was led over to the frontside by outrider Greg Blasi and schooled in the paddock. Finally, the gelding galloped about 1 3/8 miles.

Marr stated Wild On Ice’s final Derby work is scheduled for Thursday with Derby jockey Ken Tohill slated to be aboard.

LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS UPDATE (unedited)

BOTANICAL, THE ALYS LOOK, WET PAINT  – Trainer Brad Cox’s trio of Longines Kentucky Oaks contenders Botanical, The Alys Look and Wet Paint all continued their regular training patterns on Tuesday.

Dawn and Ike Thrash’s The Alys Look and Godolphin’s Wet Paint galloped about 1 ½ miles at 7:30 a.m. while LNJ Foxwoods and Clearsky Farms’ Botanical galloped the same distance around 8:30 a.m.

All three fillies then schooled in the Churchill Downs paddock.

DEFINING PURPOSE –  Trainer Kenny McPeek watched the Ashland Stakes (G1) winner put in a mile-and-a-quarter gallop, without any issues.

“She’ll breeze on Saturday,” he said of the Magdalena Racing, Collette Marie Vanmatre and James Ball filly.

FLYING CONNECTION – Brad King, Randy Andrews, G. Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby and Lee Lewis’ Flying Connection had a walk day Tuesday.

Trained by Todd Fincher, Flying Connection is scheduled to have her second Churchill Downs work Thursday.

GAMBLING GIRL/JULIA SHINING  – Repole Stable’s Gambling Girl galloped 1 3/8 miles under exercise rider Carlos Quevedo for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Stonestreet Stables’ Julia Shining, No. 16 on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard and in need of two defections to make the 14-horse Oaks starting gate, galloped 1 3/8 miles under Humberto Zamora.

“There is no Plan B as of yet,” Pletcher said when asked if there was an immediate option for Julia Shining should she not run in the Oaks.

Julia Shining is a full sister to 2021 Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat.

MIMI KAKUSHI – Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al  Maktoum’s Mimi Kakushi, jogged a mile and cantered a mile under exercise rider Xavier Ziani.

Undefeated in two starts this year with victories in the UAE One Thousand Guineas and UAE Oaks (GIII), Mimi Kakushi would represent the first runner in the United States for her owner, according to Churchill Downs, as well as her trainer Salem bin Ghadayer.

Bin Ghadayer plans to work Mimi Kakushi on Saturday. She will have paddock schooling on her agenda leading up to the Oaks and possibly gate schooling.

PRETTY MISCHIEVOUS –  The Godolphin filly, trained by Brendan Walsh, went out for a gallop with exercise rider Albino Martinez. While Walsh is out of town, assistant Charlie Lynch supervised her.

“She went her usual mile-and-a-half,” Lynch said, confirming that the filly will have a timed workout probably Friday or Saturday. “A lot depends on the weather,” he said.

SOUTHLAWN  – Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) winner Southlawn galloped about 1 ½ miles at 7:30 a.m. for trainer Norm Casse. Casse’s exercise rider Joel Garcia was in the saddle for Southlawn’s Tuesday training session.

“She’s doing well out of her work last week and has trained with a lot of energy,” Casse said. “That’s what you want to see out of a work.”

Southlawn is scheduled to work Thursday, according to Casse.

WONDER WHEEL –  The champion 2-year-old filly of 2022 stepped onto the Churchill Downs track at 6 a.m. With exercise rider Kim Carroll aboard, the D.J. Stable color bearer jogged in the chute for 10 minutes before an easy gallop.

“She galloped her usual mile-and-a-quarter,” said David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse. “She was up in the chute for a while, playing around, then she went down and did her mile-and-a-quarter.”

Wonder Wheel at times appears a bit headstrong, and Carroll said, “That’s something we’re working on. She wants to do too much.”

Plans still call for her to breeze Thursday morning, with her Oaks jockey, Joel Rosario. “Timing-wise, it’ll be good, since she breezed last Thursday,” Carroll said. “We want Joel to get a feel for her. He’s very, very good at getting horses to relax. He’s one of those riders who’s very astute, and picks up on things.”

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY OAKS – Here are the horses (with trainers) that are qualified for the Longines Kentucky Oaks and those on the also-eligible list (in alphabetical order with AEs listed last in preference order):

Affirmative Lady (John Velazquez, Graham Motion); And Tell Me Nolies (Ramon Vazquez, Peter Miller); Botanical (Chris Landeros, Brad Cox); Defining Purpose (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek); Dorth Vader (TBA, Mike Yates); Flying Connection (Florent Geroux, Todd Fincher); Gambling Girl (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher); Mimi Kakushi (Mickael Barzelona, Salem bin Ghadayer); Pretty Mischievous (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh); Promiseher America (TBA, Ray Handal); Southlawn (Rey Gutierrez, Norm Casse); The Alys Look (Luis Saez, Brad Cox); and Wet Paint (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox); Wonder Wheel (Joel Rosario, Mark Casse).

Also-Eligible: Taxed (TBA, Randy Morse); Julia Shining (TBA, Todd Pletcher); Hoosier Philly (Edgar Morales, Tom Amoss).