King Guillermo drills bullet five-furlongs in Kentucky Derby work
On the first day of Churchill Downs’ exclusive training period for contenders preparing for the $3 million 2020 Kentucky Derby and $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks, Victoria’s Ranch’s King Guillermo posted a flashy five-furlong move Saturday in :58.20 – the fastest of 40 horses at the distance.
Trained by Juan Avila, King Guillermo was one of two Kentucky Derby contenders on the track from 7:30-7:45 a.m. (all times Eastern). The $600,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) runner-up rolled through splits of :11.40, :23, :34.80 and :46.60 with a strong six-furlong gallop out in 1:10.80 under jockey Miguel Mena. Florida-based rider Samy Camacho will ride on the first Saturday in September.
“You can sometimes get a little bit worried when horses work that fast but he did it so effortlessly,” Mena said. “He has an unbelievable stride and is pretty tough in the bridle. When I broke off from the pony, he really wanted to go. He continued out really well around the turn and onto the backside.”
The main track was listed as “muddy” to start training on Saturday but was upgraded to “good” following the 7 a.m. renovation break. Saturday also was the first morning of updated training hours which were adjusted 15 minutes earlier to 5:15-10 a.m.
Raymond Daniels and Wayne Scherr’s former $100,000 claim Necker Island also was on the track during the exclusive training window. The chestnut colt galloped about 1 ½ miles under Hillary Hartman, the wife of his trainer Chris Hartman.
Also on the track at 7:30 a.m., Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing Limited and Big Aut Farm’s multiple graded stakes winner Shedaresthedevil, who breezed six furlongs in 1:11.60 under exercise rider Edvin Vargas for the Kentucky Oaks. The duo worked through fractions of :12.60, :24.20, :35.40 and :59.
Jockey Florent Geroux will have the call on Shedaresthedevil in the Kentucky Oaks for trainer Brad Cox. Following Shedaresthedevil’s breeze, Cox’s second Kentucky Oaks contender, Juddmonte Farm’s $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) winner Bonny South, galloped about 1 ½ miles under Gustavo Abrego.T
he next expected local workout for the Kentucky Derby will be Enforceable at 5:15 a.m. on Sunday.