Saturday Derby/Oaks Workout Report

'GREAT' FINAL WORK FOR BRODY'S CAUSE

Albaugh Family Stable's MGISW Brody's Cause (Giant's Causeway) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 (4/57) at Churchill Downs Saturday morning in his final piece of prep work for the May 7 GI Kentucky Derby (video).

With Tammy Fox in the irons, the bay went in splits of :11.60, :23.40, :35.40 and :50.40, galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.60 and seven furlongs in 1:29.60.

“I think Brody's Cause worked great,” trainer Dale Romans said. “He came back great and looked like he had never done anything. It's a great sign, he's ready. All the heavy lifting is over. We just have to keep him happy and fresh until next weekend. This is what we were looking for this morning. He galloped out nice and relaxed and went fast, even though he was relaxed, and came back like he had never done anything.”

The Louisville native has had several Kentucky Derby runners, but no winners. His best finish was a third in 2010 with Paddy O'Prado and in 2012 with Dullahan.

“I've had a lot of good horses going into the Derby and they proved to be good horses even after the Derby, but no one has come into the race that really didn't have any question marks,” Romans said. “We know that he likes the racetrack, we know he can get the distance, we know he's been in big fields and we know he's fit and doing well. If you went down your list of concerns, you can check every one of them off because they are not concerns.”

Earning his diploma at second asking beneath the Twin Spires last September, Brody's Cause followed suit with a decisive score in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity Oct. 3 and came running on for third next out in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Oct. 31. Kicking off his sophomore season with a head-scratching seventh in the GII Tampa Bay Derby, the colt rebounded with another impressive win in Lexington in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. Apr. 9.

Romans also worked Blue Grass third-place finisher Cherry Wine (Paddy O'Prado), who currently sits in 25th on the Derby leaderboard. Owned by Frank Jones, Jr. and William Pacella, the “TDN Rising Star” covered five furlongs in 1:00.60 (11/57) with fractions of :11.80, :23.40, :35.60, :47.60, galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.60 and seven furlongs in 1:27.60.

“If Cherry Wine gets in, he will be a contender,” said Romans. “He worked that good. Otherwise, [the May 21 GI] Preakness.”

Cherry Wine is also under consideration for the GIII Pat Day Mile on Derby day.

ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR EXAGGERATOR

Big Chief Racing, Head of Plains Partners, Rocker O Ranch, et al's Exaggerator (Curlin) put in his final pre Derby breeze in Louisville Saturday just as the rain began to fall, covering five panels in 1:02.60 (48/57) at 8:30 a.m. (video).

With regular rider Kent Desormeaux at the controls, the sophomore was clocked in splits of :12.80, :25.20, :37.80 and :50.40, galloping out six panels in 1:15.60 and seven in 1:29.60.

“The track was a little loose, but he had a good work,” said Desormeaux, who jumped off the colt and directly into a car to catch a flight back to California to ride at Los Alamitos Saturday evening.

“Kent told me he thought the track was a little loose and that the horse labored just a bit getting started,” trainer Keith Desormeaux remarked after speaking to his brother on the phone. “But he also said he got into a good rhythm and he finished up very strong. He said he never asked him, but that the colt had good energy from the eighth pole to the seven-eighths; that he did it all on his own. Then he galloped out well and finished up the way you'd like him to.”

The conditioner said the work reminded him of Exaggerator's final breeze before his ultra-impressive victory in the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 9.

“He worked at Santa Anita in a similar time [1:02.80] and fashion before winning their big race,” Desormeaux said. “That tells me he's still at least at the level he was before his big effort in that one. I don't work my horses fast; I prefer to go the stamina route. I know that goes against the general grain, but that's what I prefer to do. I want them to go on and I train them that way. I think he's in a good place right now and I'm glad to have this last [work] done.”

Winner of the GII Saratoga Special S. and GIII Delta Downs Jackpot S. last term, Exaggerator finished a respectable second behind undefeated champion Nyquist (Uncle Mo) after sitting close to hot fractions in his seasonal bow in Arcadia's GII San Vicente S. Deb. 15. Third next out in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 12, the bay splashed home a dominating 6 1/4-length winner last time in the Santa Anita Derby.

Good Final Drill for Danzing Candy…

Halo Farms and Jim and Dianne Bashor's Danzing Candy (Twirling Candy) breezed five furlongs in :59.60 (2/17) with Rolando Quinones aboard in his final pre-Derby work at the San Luis Rey Downs Training Center Saturday.

“He worked very good and breezed very nice,” trainer Cliff Sise, Jr. said. “I was looking for 1:01 but the horse just did it so nicely, and he galloped out very, very good in 1:12.60.”

Winner of the San Felipe and fourth in the Santa Anita Derby, the “TDN Rising Star” is Sise's first Derby starter.

“It's going to be very exciting for us,” Sise said. “I don't think it's really going to hit us until the walkover though.”

'Super' Work for Derby Hopeful Dazzling Gem…

Steve Landers Racing's Dazzling Gem (Misremembered), who sits 24th in the Derby standings, worked five panels in 1:00.40 (9/57) at Churchill Downs shortly after the track opened Saturday morning.

“He worked super good,” conditioner Brad Cox said. “He couldn't have worked any better. He seems to have cooled out good. I'm super encouraged by it. Hopefully, we'll draw in.”

If the bay, who was third in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 26 and fourth in the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 16, doesn't draw in to the Derby, he will point for either the Preakness or the GII Peter Pan S. at Belmont May 14.

Cathryn Sophia Coming Into Oaks 'Perfectly'…

Cash is King's Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) breezed a half-mile under Jerry Ortega shortly after 6:00 a.m. Saturday at Keeneland in her final prep for the May 6 GI Kentucky Oaks.

“It was just what I wanted and we beat the rain,” trainer John Servis said. “I got her in :50 and change. I know the clockers got her slower, but I told Jerry I didn't want to do too much since she had the big work last week [going five furlongs in :59.60].”

The trainer added, “She is coming into the race perfectly. We will probably leave Keeneland tomorrow after training hours and be at Churchill in the afternoon.”

Winner of her first four starts, including the GII Forward Gal S. and GII Fasig-Tipton Davona Dale S., Cathryn Sophia finished third behind a late-flying Weep No More (Mineshaft) and GISW Rachel's Valentina (Bernardini) last time in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 9. Following that performance, the “TDN Rising Star” was originally being pointed for the GIII Eight Belles S. on the Oaks undercard, but was rerouted back to the Oaks after champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) was withdrawn from Oaks consideration due to illness.

Weep No More Up & At 'Em Early…

Originally scheduled to work Sunday, Ashbrook Farm's Weep No More (Mineshaft) hit the Churchill oval at 5:45 a.m. Saturday morning to squeeze in her final Oaks work before the rain, covering a half-mile in :49.60 (52/84).

With Corey Lanerie in the saddle, the chestnut was clocked in fractions of :25.20 and :49.60 with a five-furlong gallop-out in 1:03.

“We got lucky,” trainer Rusty Arnold said. “She originally was going to work Sunday, but I knew the rain was coming in. It was raining when I left Lexington this morning. With racing tonight, they would probably seal [the track] tight. I didn't want to wait and be sitting here at 8:30 [a.m.] with it pouring.”

It was the second work over the Louisville over for Weep No More, who covered the same distance in :49.20 (31/73) Apr. 23.

“This was the plan all along to have two works here,” said Arnold, who sent Weep No More to Churchill Downs two days after her Ashland victory. “Her work today was exactly the same as the one before the Ashland. She will walk tomorrow, jog Monday and gallop up to the race.”

A second-out graduate at Tampa Bay Downs Jan. 22, the sophomore captured that venue's Suncoast S. Feb. 13 and came from out of the clouds to upset “TDN Rising Stars” Rachel's Valentina, Cathryn Sophia and Carina Mia (Malibu Moon) at odds of 30-1 in the Ashland last time.