Kentucky Derby 2018 Daily: Good Magic ‘thoroughly cranked’

Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, which will each day leading up to the May 5 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.

Trainer Chad Brown has said he’s preparing Good Magic to run his best possible race in the 2018 Kentucky Derby, not necessarily before that. But the 2-year-old champion should also be ready to go in his season debut, next weekend’s Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

“He’s been thoroughly cranked,” said Bruno De Julio, a clocker who witnessed each of Good Magic’s six workouts leading into the race, the last of which went a half mile Saturday in 48.30 seconds (5/56) at the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida.

Added De Julio, whose expertise is available at RacingWithBruno.com: “I think he’s come a long way in a short time…He’s been asked to do everything to run a big race in the Fountain of Youth.”

What’s that mean about his chances to improve beyond the Fountain of Youth?

“I’m not making any statements past that,” De Julio said, “because you can’t.”

In an interview this week with BloodHorse, co-owner Bob Edwards, whose e Five Racing campaigns Good Magic with Stonestreet Farm, reaffirmed that connections will look at Keeneland’s Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes as a final Kentucky Derby prep, giving the Curlin colt experience on another surface — but not requiring another long trip, with Churchill Downs then only an hour’s drive away.

Good Magic broke his maiden last out in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, in the process handing Bolt d’Oro his first career defeat. After some time off, the chestnut posted his first workout back on Jan. 21.

"I was little worried that I didn't leave too much room for setbacks, but I wanted to give him some turn-out time, which they don't always do with Derby horses,” Brown told BloodHorse. “He didn't lose my conditioning, and it only took me three weeks of training to get him ready. He made up his lost time in a hurry.”

According to Gulfstream Park’s racing office, six are so far considered probable to take on Good Magic. Topping the list are recent Grade 3 Swale Stakes winner Strike Power, as well as Todd Pletcher-trained Marconi and the Dale Romans trio of Free Drop Billy, Promises Fulfilled and Storm Runner.

Untamed Domain to hit the trail

We speculated here when Untamed Domain showed up on the work tab Friday at Tampa Bay Downs that the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby seemed all but certain, and that proved to be true. Second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, the Graham Motion trainee opened his season by running third in the Grade 3 Dania Beach on Feb. 3, still on grass.

With that race a tune-up, the March 17 Tampa Bay Derby could see him further round into form. Motion has planned all along to put the son of Animal Kingdom on the trail but waited until the points awarded increased. The winner of his next race will receive 50 points, essentially a win-and-you’re-in to the Kentucky Derby.

Campaigned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Untamed Domain is a previous stakes winner having taken Woodbine’s Grade 2 Summer Stakes before the Breeders’ Cup. The Juvenile Turf has proven a surprisingly key race on the trail producing Remsen winner Catholic Boy, Southwest Stakes winner My Boy Jack and Sam F. Davis Stakes winner Flameaway.

Derby links

• Copper Bullet, the Grade 2 Saratoga Special winner who missed time due to shin issues, will not hit the Derby trail, the Daily Racing Form reported late Friday. Trainer Steve Asmussen called it “too much, too soon.”

• Sporting Chance ran third in last Monday’s Grade 3 Southwest Stakes off the shelf — that despite absorbing some bumps in the stretch. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas explains what’s next while updating his other Derby hopefuls.

• Friday night at Turfway Park, the Northern Kentucky track hosted the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, the local prep for the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks (formerly the Spiral) on March 17. The race was won by a 39-1 longshot, and we’ve got a recap and replay available.

Fountain of Youth works

All from the Romans barn, Storm Runner was clocked going five furlongs in 59.01 seconds, fourth-fastest of 39, while Promises Fulfilled went in 1:00.42 and Free Drop Billy completed the distance in 1:01.55 on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

“Everybody worked well,” Romans said. “I haven’t decided what I’m going to do with them all yet, but I’ll make that decision [Sunday],” Romans said. “They’re moving forward all the time. They’re some nice horses, they’re doing well and I’ve just got to pick the right spots for them. They have to step it up now. As long as they step up, we’ll be in good shape.”

Another likely for the Fountain of Youth, Strike Power worked a half-mile in 48.14 seconds in company with 4-year-old gelding Carlino for trainer Mark Hennig, ranking 11th of 85 horses.

“I thought he went well,” said trainer Mark Hennig. “Everything went according to plan. He didn’t work too fast but got something out of it so we were pleased. These races are coming up in fairly short order, and we got a good five-eighths last week and we went a half today and galloped out nice.”

Rounding out contenders, Pletcher-trained Marconi got a half mile in 48.59 seconds (2/24) in his second work since relocating from New York to Florida.

Other works of note

Impact Player — A winner of two straight after an equipment change by Pletcher, he seems due for a Derby trail start and has worked consistently the last three weeks. A half mile Saturday at Palm Beach Downs went in an easy 50.41 seconds (19/24).

McKinzie — A leader in the Baffert barn, he’s possible for the Grade 2 San Felipe coming up on March 10 and continues to stay in top shape with maintenance moves. His latest drilled stretched to seven furlongs in 1:25.40.

Restoring Hope — A maiden winner for Baffert who’s bound for stakes next out, he too went 7/8, getting it a tick faster in 1:25.00.

Solomini — Possible for the San Felipe as well, with Oaklawn’s Grade 2 Rebel looking like the alternative, he recorded the seven-furlong bullet at Santa Anita in 1:24.80.

Vino Rosso — Working back for the first time since a late-running third in the Sam F. Davis, he put in a half mile in 48.68 (6/24) for the Pletcher barn and will eye the Tampa Bay Derby next.

In case you missed it…

Friday’s Derby Daily report focused on Lombo, a headstrong horse that has trainer Mike Pender on the trail and headed to take on Bolt d’Oro in the San Felipe.

• Catch up with all the latest Derby news by reading past editions of HRN’s Derby Daily report.