Ribble Farms, Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver and Kenneth and Dave Fishbein's Honor Marie (Honor Code) worked five furlongs in company with his stakes-placed stablemate Agoo (Munnings) in a bullet :59.20 (1/11) over a fast track on a chilly Thursday morning at Churchill Downs.
With jockey Ben Curtis aboard for trainer Whit Beckman, the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. winner and GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby runner-up clicked off fractions of :12, :23.80, :35.60, :47.40 and :59.20. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.60 and seven-eighths in 1:27.60.
“We can take one breath now that the work is over,” Beckman said about an hour after the 7:30 a.m. breeze. “He came back to the barn and everything was great. The work was great. It reminded me a lot of his work leading up to the Kentucky Jockey Club, except that work was over at (Churchill Downs') Trackside.”
“Everybody was smiling when I got back to the barn, and a lot of times that doesn't happen,” Curtis added.
Also working Thursday morning were three candidates for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks: Willis Horton Racing's Tapit Jenallie (Tapit) (four furlongs, :49.40), Whisper Hill Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief) (four furlongs, :49.40) and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) (four furlongs :47.60 in company).
Watch #KyDerby contender Honor Marie work 5 furlongs in :59.20 for trainer Whit Beckman. pic.twitter.com/GcPJdclmEQ
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 25, 2024
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