Kentucky Derby 2018 Daily: Romans feels the pressure

Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, now a morning report with all the latest from Churchill Downs leading up to the May 5 race. Check back throughout the days as more news and notes are added.

Trainer Dale Romans considers “one of the great things” about living in Louisville, Ky. — home of the 2018 Kentucky Derby — all the support he receives this time of year.

“Everybody’s telling me, ‘You know, you’re going to win one,’” Romans said. “Well, also that’s the worst thing. It keeps the pressure mounting.”

Romans has two shots in this year’s field, and both of them breezed Saturday at Churchill Downs as the track’s official, designated training window for contenders began.

Free Drop Billy jogged a mile, galloped a mile and then drilled five furlongs in 59 seconds. Promises Fulfilled finished his work in nearly an identical time of 59.20 seconds.

And if either is to win on the first Saturday in May, giving Romans a victory in his ninth year in the Kentucky Derby?

“It would be like a relief valve,” the trainer said. “I need to get it over with.”

Romans has named “the home team” to ride, with Robby Albarado on Free Drop Billy, who was third last out in Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes, and Corey Lanerie on Promises Fulfilled, the Fountain of Youth winner who burned out on the lead making the Florida Derby his final prep.

As for Kentucky Derby strategy, “I wouldn’t want to be the horse in front of him trying to beat him — and try to win. I’ll say that with Promises,” Romans said, “and Billy, he’ll do anything. Going a mile and a quarter, he’ll probably be a little closer.”

Both colts will put their final works in next Saturday.

Justify drills on the West Coast

Trainer Bob Baffert's comments to the Daily Racing From after Justify breezed six furlongs Saturday in 1:13 at Santa Anita Park: "Looked good, didn't he? He's a machine."

The unbeaten son of Scat Daddy will put in his final drill on the West Coast before he and stablemate Solomini ship to Churchill Downs.

This drill, in which jockey Drayden Van Dyke was up, marked Justify's first since a three-length score in the April 7 Santa Anita Derby that established his Kentucky Derby favoritism.

Good Magic breezes at Keeneland

Champion 2-year-old — and recent Blue Grass winner — Good Magic first put in his first work back from the April 7 victory. A large crowd was on hand at Keeneland for Sunrise Trackside, including trainer Chad Brown, in town to watch his contender.

Brown has saddled four previous Derby starters, with Normandy Invasion’s fourth-place effort in 2013 his best finish so far in what was the Eclipse Award-winner’s first try at the race.

The Curlin colt completed a half mile in 48 seconds. Good Magic ships Sunday to Churchill.

Flameaway puts in first local work

Assistant trainer Nicholas Tomlinson, heir to Norm Casse, is overseeing the Mark Casse barn this year at Churchill Downs. So far, so good.

Blue Grass runner-up Flameaway ticked through 5/8 of a mile Saturday in 1:00.40, finishing even on the outside of workmate Ride a Comet, an allowance-level winner targeting the Grade 3 American Turf on Derby weekend.

“He’s really getting over Churchill well,” Tomlinson said. “It was probably one of his best breezes. He’s not usually a horse that puts it all out in the morning, but he worked great, galloped out great, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

This was the so-called big work for a horse that has run and won on all types of surfaces, and at a number of different distances. Tomlinson noted that while Flameaway was even with his workmate at the wire, “he galloped out better” than Ride a Comet.

“Today,” Tomlinson added, “everybody thought it was the best he’s galloped out.”

Those are positive signs ahead of a 1 1/4-mile test in the Derby.

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