Solomini, Instilled Regard work out West for Kentucky Derby

Breezing toward the 2018 Kentucky Derby, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Solomini on Sunday worked six furlongs from the five-eighths marker in 1:14.60 at Santa Anita Park with Martin Garcia aboard for trainer Bob Baffert. The move came in company, with Solomini maintaining an advantage on the inside of his workmate Once On Whiskey through the stretch and into the Clubhouse turn. Santa Anita clockers recorded gallop-out times of 1:28.20 for seven-eighths and one mile in 1:42.80.

“He worked really well,” Zayat Stables racing manager Justin Zayat said afterwards. “Bob told me he was happy with him and Martin really liked the work, which is always a good sign. The plan was to not do anything too stressful with him. Bob was just letting him stretch his legs a little bit.”
Zayat has described Solomini as a “quirky” horse that does not always like to switch leads and can hang on his wrong lead.

“He changed leads at the right time this week, so that was good,” he said.

While Solomini hasn’t notched an official win since his debut in September, there are logical reasons for horseplayers to not discount him, especially for those that are swayed by company lines.

“We’re coming to the Derby with a horse that always runs a good race and he’s done it against all of the top 3-year-olds – Bolt d’Oro, Good Magic, McKinzie, Magnum Moon,” said Zayat. “He’s a competitive fighter.”

The $1,050,000 yearling purchase Instilled Regard also turned in his final -reprace work Sunday at Santa Anita in 1:00.80 for five furlongs. And it must have been a very good drill. It actually caused his trainer, Jerry Hollendorfer – normally the most no-nonsense of men – to feel so good he cracked a joke. 

Shortly after the move, the Hall of Famer Hollendorfer was asked about it via phone. It had been accomplished with Derby rider Drayden Van Dyke in the irons and a workmate up ahead.

“It was a very good move for my horse,” he said. “Very good. Drayden was up and he’s worked him before for me and we gave him a target to run at. He ran him down and looked good doing it.”

Who, Hollendorfer was asked, was the target?

“Oh, it really doesn’t matter,” he initially offered. “Just another horse.”

But then the veteran conditioner changed gears.

“Oh, wait, I forgot,” he offered. “It was Justify. Yeah, he ran down Justify and went right by him.”

Then there was a chuckle.

Justify, of course, is the undefeated colt who is the likely favorite for Derby 144.  In his most recent start, he captured the Santa Anita Derby leaving six horses in his wake, including Instilled Regard nearly 11 lengths back.

Hollendorfer switched back to serious mode to note than his charge, owned by OXO Equine, would board a plane with several other California horses early Monday morning headed to Louisville. He said further that he’d follow in trace on Wednesday.