Mike and K.K. Ball's Chief Wallabee (Constitution) worked five furlongs in company in 1:00 on a crisp Monday morning at Churchill Downs.
Working during the special training period for Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses from 7:15-7:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) with recent maiden winner Gilded Bandit (Charlatan), Chief Wallabee produced fractions of :24.80, :36.60, :48.20 and 1:00 while galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 and seven-eighths in 1:26.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.
Jockey Junior Alvarado was in the irons.
“It was a good work,” Alvarado said. “We added blinkers to see how he would handle them and he was very focused. He had a strong gallop out and did everything we wanted to.”
Named a TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard after a win at Gulfstream in January, Chief Wallabee finished runner-up to Commandment in the GII Fountain of Youth before coming home third to that son of Constitution most recently in the GI Curlin Florida Derby.
“I thought it was very good, he finished really well and galloped out strong,” said trainer Bill Mott, who saddled Horse of the Year Sovereignty to victory in last season's Kentucky Derby. “He's an inexperienced horse [with three starts] and we put the blinkers on to give him a little something to help him focus.”
Sovereignty, who is scheduled to ship into the Mott barn on Monday following his runner-up finish in Saturday's GI Oaklawn Handicap, had two works at Churchill Downs last spring before his Derby victory. Mott plans a similar path for Chief Wallabee with a final work coming next Sunday or Monday depending on weather.
Also working at Churchill on Monday morning, GI Kentucky Oaks contender Lorelei Lee (Nyquist), winner of the Mar. 21 Bourbonette Oaks, worked a half-mile in company in :48.20 for trainer Mike Maker. The Skychai Racing representative opened the work in company with Salty Senorita (Speightstown) with a :24 first quarter and galloped out five-eighths in 1:01.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker Adam Wallace.
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