Stonestreet Stables and WinStar Farm's Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway) worked a half-mile in :48.60 at Keeneland under regular rider John Velazquez in his final move before the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby. It was the second fastest work of 63 at the distance.
The 'TDN Rising Star' was clocked in splits of :13, :25 and :48.60 with gallop out fractions of 1:01.20, 1:14.80 and 1:29.40.
“I thought he worked super,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He seemed to get over the ground really well. We got fortunate with the weather; looks like most of the rain kind of went south of here. Perfect track. The track was in excellent condition. He seemed to handle it really well, finished up strongly, galloped out good.”
Velazquez, who chose to ride Carpe Diem in the Derby over undefeated GI Florida Derby winner Materiality (Afleet Alex), was also pleased with the bay's work.
“We took it little by little in the first part of the work and then finished up really good,” the Hall of Famer said.
Pletcher's other Derby contenders had their final works yesterday at Churchill, but the conditioner chose to keep Carpe Diem at Keeneland for his last work due to his affinity for the track. Winner of the GI Breeders' Futurity over this strip last fall, the hulking bay followed his GII Tampa Bay Derby victory Mar. 7 with a win in this venue's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. Apr. 4.
“He really loves the surface here,” Pletcher said. “We were a little concerned with how the weather was going to play out. Today was the day we wanted to breeze him. We had a lot more confidence in the surface being good here at Keeneland. This surface has impressed us quite a bit–the way it handles moisture, rain.”
Pletcher added, “He's continued to develop. He's really in a good place now. He's just very happy with himself, content, galloping well; his appetite's good. Just all the indications you'd like to see leading up to a big race. He's giving us all the right signs.”
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