Sunday's Kentucky Derby/Oaks Update

J Boys Echo | Coady Photography

Albaugh Family Stable's J Boys Echo (Mineshaft) breezed a half-mile in :49.20 at Churchill Downs Saturday. With regular exercise rider Tammy Fox aboard, the colt was clocked in splits of :12, :24.40 and :37 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.20 and three-quarters of a mile in 1:16 over a “fast” surface.

“It was a really solid work,” trainer Dale Romans said. “We'll come back next Saturday and go a little faster. Only one hurdle left until the first Saturday in May.”

J Boys Echo won the GIII Gotham S. before finishing fourth in the Apr. 8 GII Toyota Blue Grass S.

•Fast and Accurate (Hansen), winner of the GIII Spiral S., breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 at Trackside Louisville for trainer Mike Maker. Olympic skier Bode Miller recently purchased an interest in the gray colt, who has now won three straight races, from owner Kendall Hansen.

•Royal Mo (Uncle Mo), who currently sits 23rd on the Kentucky Derby qualifying list, worked five furlongs at Santa Anita Sunday in 1:01.

“We're training him like he's going to run,” trainer John Shirreffs said of the GI Santa Anita Derby third-place finisher Sunday morning.

Shirreffs already has one runner with a confirmed berth in the Derby in Santa Anita Derby winner Gormley (Malibu Moon).

“The race is wide open, Gormley is doing well and ran a big race to win the Santa Anita Derby,” commented jockey Victor Espinoza, who will be looking for his fourth Derby win aboard Gormley May 6. “Hopefully, he'll run his race in Kentucky and I think I'll be in good shape.”

•GI Kentucky Oaks hopeful Ever So Clever (Medaglia d'Oro) returned to the work tab Sunday for the first time since winning the Apr. 14 GIII Fantasy S. Working at Churchill Downs for trainer Steve Asmussen, the dark bay filly went five furlongs in 1:02. She recorded splits of :25.80 and :37.60 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.40 and seven furlongs in 1:29.80.

•The exclusive training period for Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders at Churchill Downs continues through May 4 from 8:30-8:45 a.m. The live stream, presented by TwinSpires.com, will be available at multiple sources, including on Twitter via @KentuckyDerby and kentuckyderby.twitter.com; on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kentuckyderby; and www.kentuckyderby.com/workouts/live.

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