Kentucky Derby 2023: Trainers plan works around weather

Three Kentucky Derby 2023 hopefuls as well as a Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks possible entrant worked Wednesday morning over a fast track at Churchill Downs.

UAE Derby (G2) winner Derma Sotogake worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 and was partnered with Japan road to the Kentucky Derby invitee Continuar, who worked a half-mile in 50.0 seconds. (See video of their work here.)

Shortly after those breezes during the 7:30-7:45 a.m. EDT training window for Derby and Oaks horses, Sun Thunder worked a half-mile on his own in 48.6 seconds with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard.

Taxed, the runner-up in the Fantasy (G3) and No. 15 on the road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard, worked a half-mile in 47.6 seconds under jockey Rafael Bejarano.

One Kentucky Derby work is scheduled for Thursday morning, and that is Wild On Ice. Jockey Ken Tohill is flying to Louisville this afternoon and will be aboard for the work for trainer Joel Marr.

The Kentucky Oaks work schedule Thursday is much heavier, with nine breezes slated.

Trainer Brad Cox is expected to work his trio of Wet Paint, Botanical and The Alys Look. Trainer Todd Pletcher has his duo of Gambling Girl and Julia Shining scheduled to breeze along with Southlawn for Norm Casse, Flying Connection for Todd Fincher, Wonder Wheel for Mark Casse and possibly Pretty Mischievous for Brendan Walsh

Angel of Empire, Hit Show, Jace's Road, Verifying. Trainer Brad Cox’s quartet of Angel of Empire, Hit Show, Jace’s Road and Verifying all had their normal 1 1/2-mile gallops Wednesday morning, but their work plans remain at the hand of Mother Nature.

“We’re playing things by ear with the weather coming in Thursday,” Cox said. “We’ll likely work them all on Saturday if the track is bad Friday.”

Cox schooled all four Derby runners in the paddock after training.

“We got them used to the paddock and we’ll probably do it again since it’s new,” Cox said. “I love it. I think the horses will love the extra space in here. It’s going to be really cool once it’s complete next year, but even this year it looks great.”

Confidence Game. Confidence Game jogged two miles under exercise rider Alex Cano.

Trainer Keith Desormeaux has been in Louisiana for the last several days after the death of his father, Harris, Saturday.

Harris also was was the father of Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux.

Harris was involved in horse racing and livestock farming for most of his life. He created Acadiana Downs track in Louisiana.

Keith is expected to return to Louisville in the coming days.

Continuar, Derma Sotogake. Continuar and Derma Sotogake worked together, with Derma Sotogake continuing through five furlongs and Continuar completing a half-mile.

Breaking off at the half-mile pole, Continuar was three lengths in front under Kazunari Yoshida. By the head of the stretch, Derma Sotogake had drawn even under Masatoshi Segawa and was clear at the wire.

Fractions for Derma Sotogake were 25.8 seconds, 37.2, 48.6 and 1:01.40. Continuar was clocked in 13.4 seconds, 26.4, 50.0 and out five furlongs in 1:04.4.

Kate Hunter, the Japan Racing Association representative for the Kentucky Derby, said both riders were happy with the works, with Segawa pleased with the response in the stretch from Derma Sotogake.

Both horses will walk in the quarantine barn on Thursday.

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer of Continuar, is scheduled to arrive in Louisville on Monday, and Hidetaka Otonashi, trainer of Derma Sotogake, is due in the following day.

Disarm. Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Disarm had an easy one-mile jog Wednesday morning after his scheduled walk day Tuesday.

Forte, Kingsbarns, Major Dude, Tapit Trice. The Todd Pletcher Derby trio of Forte, with Hector Ramos aboard; Tapit Trice, with Amelia Green riding; and Kingsbarns, with Elder Flores aboard, all galloped 1 3/8 miles.

With rain expected to begin in Louisville Thursday afternoon and continuing through Friday morning, Pletcher is looking at Saturday as the final work day for his Derby hopefuls.

“That is what I am leaning toward now,” Pletcher said.

Mage. With exercise rider J.J. Delgado, the colt finished an easy gallop.

“He galloped a mile-and-a-half today, and he looked pretty good doing it,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., assistant trainer to his father, Gustavo Delgado. “He definitely wanted to do more. We like everything that we’ve seen from him.”

After his Derby rider, Javier Castellano, arrives in Louisville on Thursday, they’ll finalize plans for a breeze, most likely Saturday morning.

Unraced as a 2-year-old and with only three starts this year, including two graded stakes at Gulfstream Park, a fourth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and a second to Forte in the Florida Derby (G1), Mage is still learning the ropes.

“It’s going to take a couple more races for us to figure him out and for the horse to put it all together too,” Delgado said. “He’s shown three different styles. The first one he was in the front, the second one you can say he was in the middle, and then he was coming from behind. With a few more races, we’ll figure out what his best style is.”

Rocket Can. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott again sent the colt out for a gallop with regular exercise rider Guelser Cardona aboard.

“He had an easy gallop of about 1 3/8 miles,” Mott said. “He galloped great, and he went through the paddock. Our plans call for us to breeze him over the weekend.”

Sun Thunder. Sun Thunder breezed a half-mile in 48.6 seconds with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.

The workout gave his connections and trainer Kenny McPeek an indication that the fourth-place finisher in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland is coming into the Derby the way they want him.

“He pretty much just clipped 12s the whole way around,” Hernandez said. “They added blinkers to him this morning, and that seems to make him want to go forward, and kind of get into things a little earlier than he did before the blinkers. He finished in 48 and three(-fifths), with a good gallop out.”

Hernandez rode Sun Thunder, an Into Mischief colt out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Greenfield d’Oro, to a fifth-place finish in the Louisiana Derby (G2), after crossing the wire behind Angel of Empire in the Risen Star (G2).

“Everybody kind of bunched up (in the Louisiana Derby), and it wasn’t the right kind of setup for him,” Hernandez said. “Here in the Derby, we’re hoping to get a little pace in front of us, and hopefully by the time we get to the second turn, things will start to spread out, and we can make our run.”

Sun Thunder finished his 2-year-old season by breaking his maiden on New Year’s Eve at Oaklawn Park in his second start. At 3, he’s had only four starts, all graded stakes.

“He’s still a lightly raced horse, and he’s going to get better and better with each race,” Hernandez said. “That’s the nice thing about riding for Kenny. These guys do such a good job here at the barns and give us live horses. I’m fortunate that Kenny trusts me, so I can go out and just ride my race.”

Wild On Ice. Wild On Ice came on the track at 6:15 a.m. and warmed up in the mile chute under Oscar Rojero before galloping 1 1/2 miles. After training, Wild On Ice had a paddock schooling session.

Trainer Joel Marr plans to give the Sunland Park Derby (G3) winner his second Churchill Downs work Thursday morning at 5:45 a.m. with a five-furlong breeze scheduled.

Jockey Ken Tohill was scheduled to arrive in Louisville Wednesday afternoon and will be aboard for the work as he was April 17, when Wild On Ice worked five furlongs in 1:00.0.

On the waiting list

Cyclone Mischief, No. 22 on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, galloped 1 1/2 miles under Faustino Herrarte for trainer Dale Romans.

Major Dude, No. 23, galloped 1 3/8 miles under Joel Osorio for trainer Todd Pletcher and is scheduled to work Saturday.