Kentucky Derby notes: Japan runners work at Churchill Downs
Two Japan-based Kentucky Derby 2026 runners turned in half-mile works Tuesday morning over a Churchill Downs track that was upgraded to fast after the first harrow break after overnight rain.
Breezing during the 7:15-7:30 EDT training window for Kentucky Derby, Oaks and prior Derby winners, Danox Co.’s undefeated Danon Bourbon worked a half-mile in 52.8 seconds with a final quarter-mile in 24.20 for trainer Manabu Ikezoe.
Yoshinari Yamamoto’s Wonder Dean worked a half-mile in 54.60with a final quarter-mile in :26.40. Wonder Dean, trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, had worked six furlongs in 1:17.80 here on Friday.
Monday activity
Albus, Incredibolt. Albus and Incredibolt galloped a mile with Antonio Garcia astride the former and Charlotte O’Connell the latter for trainer Riley Mott during the Kentucky Derby and Oaks training period.
Horses for the 20-horse Kentucky Derby will be loaded into the starting gate in two tiers with posts 1 and 11 loading first and then moving outward.
Albus has post 2 and Incredibolt the 11 which means they could be in the gate longer than most of the field.
“Neither one of them has had any gate issues,” Mott said after his initial two Derby entrants returned to the barn from their activity over a track labeled as fast.
Both horses have run all their races on fast tracks, and this morning “they floated over the track,” Mott said of the activity over a surface that had plenty of moisture in it.
“There is no reason to believe they won’t (handle an off track),” Mott said. “But you never know until you try it.”
Albus and Incredibolt were scheduled to school in the paddock with horses in Tuesday afternoon’s fifth race.
Chief Wallabee. Trainer Bill Mott sent Chief Wallabee out for a gallop at 7:15 with Marvin Orantes aboard.
Third in the Florida Derby (G1) in his most recent start, Chief Wallabee is owned by Mike and Kay Kay Ball.
“I have known Mike and Kay Kay for more than 40 years, and this is the first horse that I have trained for them,” Mott said.
Chief Wallabee will exit post 12 in the Derby and be one of the first horses to load in the 20-horse field.
“He hasn’t had any problems at the gate,” Mott said. “He’s been pretty good.”
Commandment, Fulleffort, Further Ado. Trainer Brad Cox’s Kentucky Derby trio of Commandment, Fulleffort and Further Ado all were out early Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs.
At 5:15 a.m., Commandment, with assistant trainer and exercise rider Katie Tolbert aboard, jogged about one mile before galloping 1 1/4 miles.
Close behind, Fulleffort and exercise rider Edvin Vargas followed the same routine.
Nearly 90 minutes later, Further Ado, accompanied by exercise rider Jonathan Santiago, jogged in the chute before galloping 1 1/4 miles.
Danon Bourbon. Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby invitee Danon Bourbon completed his final serious move before the Kentucky Derby on Tuesday morning, breezing a half-mile in 52.8 under assistant trainer Satoshi Oshita.
The colt began his move from the finish line, galloping in about 15-second furlongs before increasing his speed once he reached the half-mile pole and finishing his final furlong in 12.6. Trainer Manabu Ikezoe is scheduled to arrive Friday.
Kate Hunter, speaking on behalf of Danon Bourbon’s connections, said the colt continues to handle Churchill Downs well.
“He seems to be moving over the track well, and they are really hopeful his pedigree will shine through,” Hunter said.
Hunter said the team was pleased with Tuesday’s move.
“I think a ‘breeze’ may not be entirely accurate with what they like to do the week of a race, but they were very happy with how he went,” Hunter said. “They have already put in their most serious work, and when they get here, it is more about just waking him up and letting him know it is just about race time.”
Danon Bourbon never has raced around a left-handed turn, but Hunter said that should not be a concern.
“The training centers in Japan are ambidextrous, so at a certain time of the day, they switch directions,” Hunter said. “So he has experience training both ways.”
Hunter also joked about the possibility of a Japanese-trained horse winning the Kentucky Derby.
“My goal in life is to be some American trainer’s worst nightmare, to bring over a Japanese horse that’s going to ruin Kentucky Derby day, so I apologize in advance,” she said with a laugh.
Emerging Market. Emerging Market galloped 1 1/2 miles during the training sessions for Derby and Oaks horses.
Golden Tempo. Golden Tempo galloped Tuesday morning for trainer Cherie DeVaux.
Intrepido. The California-based colt by the Into Mischief sire Maximus Mischief was out for a mile jog underneath Alejandro Galindo during the special Derby-Oaks training period Tuesday morning.
Trainer Jeff Mullins is scheduled to make the scene Thursday.
Galindo, who has been overseeing the graded-stakes winner in Kentucky, said the light jog by Intrepido this morning was completely by design.
“We need to keep him nice and fresh,” he said. “We want him to break in front Saturday and stay there.”
Intrepido will be handled Saturday by his regular pilot, Hector Berrios, and they’ll come out of post 3 in the 20-horse lineup.
Litmus Test, Potente. Bob Baffert's barn 33 was its usual beehive Tuesday morning of Derby week, with the trainer leading the charge with aid from his two key assistants, Jimmy Barnes and Dan Ward.
The main man was asked about his trio of Derby and Oaks types – Litmus Test and Potente for the Derby and Explora for the Oaks.
"Well, I can tell you that they've all got their heads sticking out of their stalls, which is a real good sign," he said. "When they're standing back in the corner with their head down, that's when you've got trouble."
The Hall of Fame conditioner worked it out that his two Derby colts would go out for exercise during the Derby-Oaks training session. Litmus Test was partnered by exercise rider Talia Viscusi for a jog around the track, and Potente accomplished a similar feat under Humberto Gomez.
On Derby day, Litmus Test will partner with Martin Garcia as they come out of post 4 in the field of 20. Potente will have Juan Hernandez up as they break from post 14.
Pavlovian. Pavlovian jogged a mile Tuesday morning under exercise rider Tony Romero during the Derby/Oaks training session.
Romero gave the move a thumbs up afterward back at barn 41, where trainer Doug O'Neill shook hands with friends and associates. Later, he gave a pep talk to a crew of equine students from Blue Grass Community and Technical College who were shepherded on the backside by Remi Bellocq, the former industry executive, cartoonist and jockey and the son of the legendary racing cartoonist Pierre (PEB) Bellocq.
O'Neill fired up the youngsters and drew lots of smiles along the way. And Bellocq brought warm feelings to old racing friends when he let them know that his Dad is still hanging tough at his home in New Jersey at age 99.
Pavlovian will come out of post 16 in the Derby and be handled by California veteran Edwin Maldonado.
Renegade. The Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite went trackside at Churchill Downs for exercise during the Derby-Oaks training session on a racetrack termed "good," which was a good thing after a heavy-duty night of thunder, lightning and pelting rain in the Louisville area.
Trainer Todd Pletcher tagged along to oversee the drill and was joined by his oldest son, Payton, who is a few weeks away from graduating from veterinarian school.
Regular exercise rider Nora McCormack was in the boot on the bay colt by Into Mischief and steered him through a gallop of 1 1/8 miles in good order.
Saturday, Renegade will be handled by champion jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. as they break from post 1.
Right to Party. Right to Party galloped 1 1/2 miles. “He’s doing well,” said Greg Geier, assistant trainer for Kenny McPeek. “Got in a nice gallop this morning.”
Silent Tactic. Silent Tactic returned to the track after a scheduled walk day and jogged in the mile chute before galloping a mile and a half under Dass Garcia for trainer Mark Casse.
Silent Tactic began his career at Woodbine last fall and then wintered at Oaklawn. He will be Casse’s 12th Kentucky Derby starter and the seventh to begin his career on the all-weather surface at Woodbine.
“We identified him as a possible Derby prospect and felt that Oaklawn was a good place to get him started,” said Casse, who followed a similar path last year with Sandman.
Previously, Casse’s Derby horses had started their 3-year-old campaigns in Florida or at Fair Grounds.
Six Speed. UAE Derby (G2) runner-up Six Speed walked the shedrow after his half-mile move in 48.8 Monday at Churchill Downs. He was scheduled to school in the paddock during Tuesday’s second race.
So Happy. The Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner galloped 1 1/2 miles Tuesday morning.
The Puma. Florida Derby (G1) runner-up The Puma galloped during the Kentucky Derby and Oaks training window Tuesday morning.
Trainer Gustavo Delgado said the colt’s foundation was already in place before shipping from Florida.
“He’s experienced a lot in a short amount of time,” Delgado said. “He had two good works in Florida, and coming to Kentucky we knew we didn’t have to do a whole lot with him. Right now it’s just about keeping him happy and maintaining him for Derby Day.”
Wonder Dean. Yoshinari Yamamoto’s Wonder Dean recorded his final serious move before the Derby 152 on Tuesday morning, working a half-mile in 54.60 under Takuya Nakano.
Before the move, the UAE Derby winner warmed up in the chute for about 15 minutes. He began his extended gallop from the five-furlong pole and gradually increased his speed starting at the half-mile marker, working through an opening quarter-mile in 28.2 and galloping out five furlongs in 1:08.4. After completing the move, he schooled in the starting gate.
Nakano, who oversees Wonder Dean, was pleased with the breeze.
“Everything went great, according to plan,” Nakano said. “I feel like he is taking to the track well. We will see tomorrow how tired he is. He will probably just walk.”
Nakano said Wonder Dean has settled in well since arriving in Kentucky nearly a month ago.
“He has been here almost a month now, and he really seems to be enjoying the environment being closer to other horses,” Nakano said. “His favorite thing to do is grazing. That is something he didn’t really get to do in the Middle East. It’s much more sand than grass, so he’s enjoying the bluegrass of Kentucky.”
Wonder Dean will hand walk Wednesday before likely returning to the track Thursday and Friday.