Kentucky Oaks hopeful and 'TDN Rising Star' Quietside (Malibu Moon), winner of the GII Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn, and the Kentucky Derby-bound Grande (Curlin), runner-up in the GII Wood Memorial Stakes at the Big A, worked at Keeneland on Friday.
Quietside was clocked in :48.20 for a half-mile with her Oaks jockey, Jose Ortiz, in the saddle.
“Jose and I had a plan to give her just a half-mile and easy gallop out just to keep her on her toes from here on out,” trainer John Ortiz said. “She worked perfectly. It looks like she is ready.”
As for Grande, trainer Todd Pletcher's plan was to give him his final tune-up at Keeneland for the Derby.
“My instinct told me to bring him to Keeneland,” Pletcher said. “I thought we would have a more reliable surface. As it turns out, the track was muddy and sealed today at Churchill. With more rain in the forecast, I thought this was a safer play.”
With John Velazquez in the saddle and working in company with 3-year-old maiden winner Valentinian (Into Mischief), Grande completed five furlongs in 1:01 over a fast track moments before a heavy downpour turned the track sloppy.
At Churchill Downs, where the track was listed as good following the initial harrow break, Flying Mohawk (Karakontie {Jpn}) worked five furlongs in 1:00 in company with Kentucky Oaks hopeful Drexel Hill (Bolt d'Oro) for trainer Whit Beckman. Beckman also breezed the Kentucky Oaks-bound Simply Joking (Practical Joke), who covered a half-mile in :47.60.
“He's doing well and handled training over this track as we expected,” Beckman said of Flying Mohawk. “We never had any issues with him training over the dirt and he's shown that in his works.”
Also drilling over the main track was unbeaten Kentucky Oaks favorite Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro). She breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.
“I thought it was a really good move,” trainer Brad Cox said. “She continues to do well in her training and expecting a big effort next week.”
Good Cheer breezes 5F in company for trainer Brad Cox in 1:00.40 pic.twitter.com/Yb49yptPzX
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 25, 2025
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