Kentucky Derby: Grand Mo the First works at Gulfstream

Grand Mo the First breezed six furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Tuesday morning in preparation for a start in the Kentucky Derby.

The Victor Barboza Jr.-trained son of Uncle Mo, who finished a distant third behind early Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness in the Grade One Florida Derby at Gulfstream, was timed in 1:16.48 under jockey Emisael Jaramillo before galloping out a mile.

“The six-furlong workout this morning, I really liked it,” Barboza said. “It was a good work for the horse. He came back to the barn very fresh. He’s ready for the move to Churchill.”

Grand Mo the First is scheduled to travel to Churchill Downs on Thursday.

“The horse will go to Kentucky Thursday in the night and will get there early in the morning,” Barboza said.

Jaramillo will follow Grand Mo the First to Kentucky next week. The 47-year-old jockey was a 13-time champion in Venezuela, where he rode three Triple Crown winners, before venturing to South Florida in 2015. He rode in his first Kentucky Derby the following year, finishing far back aboard Gustavo Delgado-trained Majesto.

“Jaramillo has ridden for me more than 400 races in both countries, Venezuela and United States,” Barboza said. “He’s been a good jockey for me.”

Grand Mo the First earned his way into the 20-horse Kentucky Derby field with his third in the Florida Derby and a third-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2), in which he was a neck behind winner Domestic Product.

Fiona’s Magic tunes up for Kentucky Oaks 

Fiona’s Magic tuned up for a start in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with a six-furlong breeze in 1:15.16 at Gulfstream Park on Tuesday morning.

“We’ve just been doing some strong, long gallops with her. We breezed three-quarters. I told (exercise rider Jose Ortiz) to just go easy and finish up a little bit down the lane,” trainer Michael Yates said. “I feel like we’re going in the right direction. She was very relaxed and did it well within herself.”

Fiona’s Magic, who qualified for the Kentucky Oaks with a second-place finish in the Forward Gal (G3) and a victory in the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream, finished off the board in the March 30 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).

“We learned absolutely nothing from that race,” Yates said. “We breezed her eight days before the race and scoped her. She scoped clean. Everything looked to be on ‘go.’ She had no nasal discharge. Everything was normal, but after the race, we scoped her, and she was loaded with mucus.”

Yates saddled Dorth Vader for a fifth-place finish in last year’s Kentucky Oaks.

“Hindsight is always 20-20. What I learned last year is there’s no way that’s the right way. You just have to take care of your horse the best you can,” he said.

Yates opted to prepare Fiona’s Magic at Gulfstream for her serious Kentucky Oaks preparation before shipping the daughter of St. Patrick’s Day to Churchill Downs on Friday morning.

“I just think you need to keep your horse in whatever atmosphere is best for them to keep them training well and moving forward,” Yates aid. “That’s what we chose to do.”

A rider has yet to be engaged to ride Fiona’s Magic in the Oaks.