Indiana Derby contenders have final breezes for this weekend

Indiana Derby contenders Dragoon Guard and Real Men Violin worked Saturday at Churchill Downs in preparation for next weekend’s Grade 3, $300,000 stakes for 3-year-olds at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Dragoon Guard’s Brad Cox-trained stablemate Impel and Band of Gold, who like Real Men Violin is trained by Kenny McPeek, also worked for the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) next Saturday for 3-year-old fillies.

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Dragoon Guard and Impel worked together five-eighths of a mile shortly after the Churchill Downs track opened for training at 5:30 a.m. EDT with each clocked at 1:00.6. Those were the fifth-fastest times of the 18 works at five furlongs. Florent Géroux, who was on Impel, will ride each horse next weekend for Cox and owner Juddmonte.

“They breezed together a smooth five-eighths and breezed very well,” Cox said. “This is the first time we’ve matched them up, but I was pleased with the move. Impel was on the inside. Dragoon set off her just a little bit. I didn’t want them to be head and head early and be too tough. But they settled in well and finished up strong with a nice gallop-out. I feel confident running them both off that work.”

Dragoon Guard, a son of Juddmonte’s late stallion and Hall of Fame racehorse Arrogate, is making both his stakes and two-turn debut. The silvery gray was second by a neck in his first race in September at Churchill. He then returned nearly seven months later to impressively win at Keeneland followed by a front-running, 3 1/4-length victory in the slop at Churchill Downs’ one-turn mile on June 2.

“He ran really well here behind a decent colt of Steve’s,” Cox said of Dragoon Guard’s first race, in which he trailed Steve Asmussen-trained Otto the Conqueror. “He had a setback after that, so we had to give him a bunch of time. We liked him. He came back this year, and I liked him more going into the Keeneland race. He really was doing well. We ran him the Beard course distance (seven furlongs and 184 feet), and the mile here was the natural thing to do next. He responded well. He does need to take a step forward, and I think he will.”

After two easy wins, including by 8 1/2 lengths in an Oaklawn allowance race, Impel was third in Keeneland’s Ashland (G1) at 1 1/16 miles and then second the seven-furlong Eight Belles (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.

“Impel hasn’t run since we cut her back to seven-eighths,” Cox said. “Off the run in the Ashland, we ran her back a little quick in the Eight Belles. Overall, I thought that was a really good effort. I think there’s a little bit of question how far she wants to go. Based off her physical (build), I do think she’ll handle two turns. She won her first-level allowance race at Oaklawn at two turns.

“I didn’t know if she’d be fastest enough to win going three-quarters, but she was. It looked like a good maiden race on paper. We’re still trying to figure out what she’s best at. But she’s lightly raced, and just getting her career going. Hopefully she can be a grade horse either at middle distances or around two turns.”

Cox has won the Indiana Derby twice, including last year with Verifying, a popular victory with local favorite Marcelino Pedroza Jr. in the saddle. Géroux teamed with Cox to win the 2020 Indiana Derby.

Géroux also is looking for a third Indiana Derby victory, winning his first in 2018 on Michael McCarthy-trained Axelrod.

McPeek, Hernandez are together again

Kenny McPeek and Brian Hernandez Jr., who most famously became the rare trainer and jockey to sweep the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Kentucky Derby with Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan, will shoot for another double in the Indiana Derby and Indiana Oaks next Saturday.

Real Men Violin worked a half-mile in 47.6 seconds, third-fastest of 118 timed works at the distance Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Band of Gold went the same distance in 47.8, the sixth-fastest time.

Magdalena Racing’s Real Men Violin is coming off a third in the Texas Derby. He’s seeking his first stakes victory, having finished second in the Illinois Derby and last November’s Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) with disappointing finishes in the Risen Star (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2) in between.

“Real Men worked a nice half,” McPeek said. “This horse has been knocking on the door. He’s stakes-placed. He still has a ‘one other than’ allowance condition, but we’re going to give him one more shot in stakes company against straight 3-year-olds. It should be an exciting weekend. That’s also the ownership of Under the Palms, who is going to run in one of the Indiana-bred stakes (Ellen’s Lucky Star) as well.”

Band of Gold, winner of Oaklawn’s Martha Washington at 24-1 odds in the slop in her third start, most recently was third in Churchill Downs’ Monomoy Girl at the Indiana Oaks’ 1 1/16-mile distance.

“Band of Gold actually ran away from the pole in front of another filly, Shimmering Allure, but she worked well,” McPeek said. “She won a stakes earlier in the winter, and she was third in her last start. She needs to find another level, but she’s doing really well.”

Hernandez was aboard both Real Men Violin and Band of Gold in their works.

“They went their usual half,” the jockey said. “They’re six days out from the Indiana Derby and Oaks. They went around there in smooth halves.”

Hernandez is looking for his third victory in the Indiana Derby and his first since Neck ’n Neck in 2012. He also won on Cielo Gold in 2006. Hernandez and McPeek won last year’s Indiana Oaks with Defining Purpose. McPeek also won the Indiana Oaks in 2013 with Pure Fun, and Hernandez also won in 2012 with Grace Hall and 2014 on Tiz Windy.

Other Indiana Derby contenders include Doug O’Neill-trained California invader E J Won the Cup, winner of the Texas Derby and Turf Paradise Derby and third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1); Oaklawn’s Bath House Row winner Informed Patriot from the Steve Asmussen barn; and locally based Woodcourt, most recently third in the Illinois Derby for trainer Cipriano Contreras. Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Stronghold is probable, trainer Phil D’Amato said.

The draws for both the Indiana Derby and Indiana Oaks will be Monday at 2 p.m. EDT and will be streamed by Horseshoe Indianapolis on X.