Daddys Lil Darling, Tequilita put in Kentucky Oaks works at Keeneland
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Two candidates for the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 5 at Churchill Downs put in works minutes apart at Keeneland before the Friday morning renovation break.
Normandy Farm’s Daddys Lil Darling, runner-up in the Central Bank Ashland (G1) here on April 8, worked a half-mile in :47.40 with jockey Robby Albarado aboard for trainer Kenny McPeek.
Clockers caught Daddys Lil Darling in fractions of :23.60, :47.40 and out five furlongs in 1:00.80.
“She went really good; a nice maintenance move,” said Albarado, who has ridden the daughter of Scat Daddy in her past two starts. “I hope she gets some pace to run at in the Oaks. If so, she will be fine. I am positive she will be staying on at the end.”
McPeek said Daddys Lil Darling would have her final pre-Oaks work at Keeneland next weekend and then go to Churchill Downs the following Monday, May 1.
“She has trained and run there,” McPeek said of the winner of last September’s Pocahontas (G2) at Churchill. “(Once at Churchill) she will jog and gallop and school in the paddock.”
Dorothy Matz’s Tequilita, a homebred daughter of Union Rags, worked 5 furlongs in 1:02.40 under exercise rider Jo Saville for trainer Michael Matz.
Matz expressed satisfaction with the work for Tequilita, her second at Keeneland since winning the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) on April 1.
“She will go to Churchill on Wednesday and have her final work for the Oaks there,” the trainer said.
GALLOPING OUT
Several Keeneland sales graduates received honors at the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Annual Kentucky-Bred Champions Awards Luncheon at Keeneland on Thursday: Arrogate (Horse of the Year and 3-Year-Old Male), Classic Empire (2-Year-Old Male), Champagne Room (2-Year-Old Filly), Beholder (Older Dirt Female), Drefong (Sprinter) and Special Skills (Steeplechase Horse). Arrogate’s breeder, Clearsky Farms, received the P.A.B. Widener Trophy as KTOB Breeder of the Year.
Clearsky consigned Arrogate to Keeneland’s 2014 September Yearling Sale, where owner Juddmonte Farms purchased him for $560,000. The colt by Unbridled’s Song received the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male of 2016 when he won the Travers (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). This year, Arrogate won the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Dubai World Cup (G1). He has earned $17,084,600. …
Trainer Steve Manley recorded his first Keeneland victory when Go Vo won the eighth race Thursday under Robby Albarado. Manley owns Go Vo, a 5-year-old Forestry gelding who took the 6-furlong race by 1¾ lengths in 1:10.48.
Source: Keeneland Association
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