Kentucky Derby notes: Watch Six Speed work at Churchill
Six Speed, runner-up in the Group 2 UAE Derby in his most recent start, worked a half-mile in 48.8 seconds on his own Monday morning at Churchill Downs with jockey Declan Cannon aboard.
Working during the training period from 7:15-7:30 a.m. EDT for Kentucky Derby and Oaks runners and prior Derby winners, Six Speed produced splits of 13.2, 25.0 and 48.8 seconds and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.6 and six furlongs in 1:15.4.
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Trained by Bhupat Seemar for Brunetti Dugan Stables, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Steve Adkisson and Swinbank Stables, Six Speed will exit post 17 under Brian Hernandez Jr. in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
Albus, Incredibolt. Pin Oak Stud’s Derby duo of Albus and Incredibolt were back on the track early Monday morning for trainer Riley Mott following half-mile works Sunday morning.
With Antonio Garcia aboard Albus and Charlotte O’Connell partnering Incredibolt, the two jogged a mile with the former being accompanied by a pony shortly after 6 o’clock.
“I just wanted to let them get out for a little bit,” Mott said as he watched the two complete their activity by a brief jog in the mile chute.
Incredibolt breezed his half-mile Sunday in 47.0 and will exit post 11 in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. Albus, who will leave post 2 in the Derby, worked his half in 49.0 seconds.
“We are very happy with Incredibolt’s draw, he can do whatever he needs to do from that post,” Mott said. “Albus will probably experience horses coming down over the top of him into the first turn, but he has experienced adversity, kickback, and traffic, so I think if we were going to draw inside with either of them, he would be the one.”
Mott has a house guest this week – his father Bill, who is sending out Chief Wallabee in a bid for a Derby repeat following on the heels of Sovereignty last May.
“I was in the grandstand with my family last year,” Riley Mott said. “It’s going to be pretty cool saddling for the Derby next to him (in saddling stall 12). I may have to take a selfie.”
Chief Wallabee. Trainer Bill Mott’s hope for Derby 152, Mike and Kay Kay Ball’s Chief Wallabee, walked the shedrow the morning after his 49.2-second half-mile breeze in company Sunday under Junior Alvarado.
Chief Wallabee will represent Mott’s 15th Kentucky Derby starter with the first being Taylor’s Special for Louisvillian William Lucas in 1984.
“I was thrilled to be here, but it was probably not very realistic,” Mott said of Taylor’s Special, who won 21 of 41 starts in a five-year career and earned more than $1 million. “He was basically a sprinter, but he was a runner. He had won going two turns in the Blue Grass and Louisiana Derby.”
Mott was 30 at the time and “we didn’t have the kind of horses that we have now. They were mostly claimers.”
A few of the runners in the early 1980s were for Lucas.
“We had Rapid Gray (a winner of 26 of 56 starts) and Shot n’ Missed (a winner of 12 of 29 starts),” Mott said as he pulled out his phone and scrolled through photos. “Here is one of Shot n’ Missed here at the three-eighths pole.”
Mott did not take the picture – he was in the saddle.
Commandment, Fulleffort, Further Ado. Trainer Brad Cox’s Kentucky Derby trio of Wathnan Racing’s Commandment, Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado and St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing’s Fulleffort jogged about a mile in the first training set Monday at 5:15 a.m. EDT following their final published works over the weekend.
Danon Bourbon. Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby invitee Danon Bourbon recorded another strong gallop Monday morning under assistant trainer Satoshi Oshita as preparations continued for Kentucky Derby 152.
“We’ll do his final tune-up on Tuesday, and we also plan to take him to the gate afterward just to let him get used to it,” Oshita said. “Mentally, he’s nice and settled, and as for his feed, he’s been cleaning everything up ever since the trip over, without leaving a bite. So there are no concerns on that front.”
Emerging Market. Klaravich Stable’s Emerging Market galloped 1 1/2 miles during the special training session for Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m. EDT for trainer Chad Brown.
Golden Tempo. Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Golden Tempo galloped about 1 3/8 miles Monday morning for trainer Cherie DeVaux.
“He went great,” DeVaux said. “He will need to take a step forward in the Derby, but he has it in him.”
Intrepido. The California-based colt by the Into Mischief sire Maximus Mischief who is owned by Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures walked the shedrow in barn 41 Monday morning with stable overseer/exercise rider Alejandro Galindo involved. The day before at Churchill, Intrepido had turned in a wicked four-furlong move under regular rider Hector I. Berrios in 45.0 flat, the fastest of 71 works at the distance on the Sunday slate.
His trainer, Jeff Mullins, is scheduled to fly in from his Los Angeles base Thursday. The conditioner is dealing with a recently broken leg, but has recovered enough to be mobile and is planning on being onsite for Derby 152.
Litmus Test, Potente. The duo of Derby colts out of the Bob Baffert barn went down different roads Monday morning as they move closer to their assignments in Saturday's Kentucky Derby.
Potente, who carries the silks of Speedway Stables, had a walk day following his serious bit of exercise the day before when covered five furlongs in company under Martin Garcia in 57.8 seconds.
After training the colt schooled in the Churchill Downs paddock accompanied by Baffert and chief assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes.
Barnmate Litmus Test, on the other hand, went trackside during the special 7:15 to 7:30 a.m. EDT training session under exercise rider Talia Viscusi for a good tour of the big Churchill oval. The son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist covered a bit more than a mile in fine fashion. The bay youngster races for an extensive partnership headed by SF Racing and Starlight Racing.
On Saturday, Potente will begin his mile and a quarter journey from Post 14 with ace California rider Juan Hernandez aboard. Litmus Test will break from Post 4 and be handled by Garcia.
Pavlovian. The racy roan/gray was a walker Monday morning at Churchill Downs after his five-furlong exercise out of the gate Sunday.
The son of the California sire Pavel, who is owned and was bred by Californian J. Paul Reddam, had regular rider Edwin Maldonado up for the 1:03.4 drill.
Trainer Doug O'Neill, a double Derby winner himself already with I'll Have Another in 2012 and Nyquist in 2016 through the Reddam connection, flew in from his California base in advance of the Sunday drill and was pleased with what he saw from his charge.
"He did well yesterday and he ate up last night and is a happy horse," O'Neill said. "He just walked this morning and he's doing great."
O'Neill, one of the top trainers on the west coast for nearly two decades now, indicated he currently has 60 horses in training in California. But, looking to take advantage of the huge purses being offered on the Kentucky circuit, he now stables 25 head at Keeneland.
"It's a sign of the times," the conditioner said. "I hope we can get things to pick up in California. That would be a good thing."
Renegade. The Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite, Robert and Lawana Low and Repole Stable's Renegade stretched his legs Monday morning during the special Derby and Oaks training session at Churchill Downs that goes each morning from 7:15 to 7:30 a.m. EDT. The well-made colt by super sire Into Mischief had exercise rider Nora McCormack in the boot and the pair galloped a strong mile and a quarter out in the middle of the strip.
Walking back to Barn 39 after the move, McCormack was asked how her charge felt during the drill. "He felt real good," she said. "He was strong."
Renegade drew post 1 for the 10 furlongs of the Derby on Saturday and will have regualr rider Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle.
Right To Party. Chester Broman Sr.’s Right to Party jogged with exercise rider Robby Albarado aboard, accompianed by a pony ridden by Kevin “Alf” Mudd.
Trainer Kenny McPeek noted he invited the surviving members of the Beastie Boys to attend the Kentucky Derby in honor of the colt who is named after their famous song “Fight for Your Right (To Party).”
Silent Tactic. John Oxley’s Silent Tactic had a scheduled walk day at trainer Mark Casse’s barn.
Six Speed. Brunetti Dugan Stables, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Steve Adkisson and Swinbank Stables’ Six Speed, runner-up in the UAE Derby (G2), worked a half-mile in 48.8 seconds Monday morning with exercise rider Declan Cannon aboard for trainer Bhupat Seemar. The colt covered his opening furlong in 13.2 seconds, reached the quarter-mile in 25.0 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:01.6.
“We’re not going to change too much in the Derby,” Seemar said. “He’s a horse that likes to be up there. If they go fast, he’ll go faster. On the other hand, this horse has a deep pedigree. He has that Phipps family pedigree where there’s a lot of stamina in it. We’ll find out – if you don’t do it, you’ll never know.”
Brian Hernandez Jr., who won the 2024 Kentucky Derby aboard Mystik Dan, has the mount for Kentucky Derby 152.
So Happy. Norman Stables and Saints or Sinners’ So Happy galloped 1 1/2 miles Monday morning for trainer Mark Glatt.
“He’s doing well,” Glatt said. “He’s always been a cool customer. At this point, nothing seems to have fazed him.”
The Puma. Florida Derby (G1) runner-up The Puma galloped Monday under exercise Carlos Olivero for trainer Gustavo Delgado.
Following the training session, Delgado added, “He’s ready.”
Wonder Dean. Yoshinari Yamamoto’s Wonder Dean galloped Monday morning during the 7:15 a.m. EDT Kentucky Derby and Oaks exclusive training window and could record his final breeze Tuesday, according to his connections.
Great White. Three Chimneys Farm and trainer John Ennis’ Great White galloped 1 1/2 miles during the special training session for Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m. EDT.
“He’s doing fantastic,” Ennis said. “He galloped a mile and a half and really picked it up late. I’m happy with how he is moving over the track.”