Derby Work for ‘Hop’

DERBY WORK FOR ‘HOP’
    GII Rebel S. winner and GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) registered his final pre Kentucky Derby work yesterday, covering a half-mile in :48 during a rain storm at Churchill Downs. He galloped out six panels in 1:13.40, for jockey Martin Garcia, while working with stablemate Drill (Lawyer Ron). Mike Smith will ride Hoppertunity in the Derby and Garcia will be aboard stablemate Chitu (Henny Hughes). 
    “I sent him out because I was worried about these storms coming in,” Baffert said. “Then they said they were going to float the track and they said there was going to be one renovation then and none later. So I was in a little bit of a panic mode and called the audible. I brought him out and he worked really well with Drill. Usually Drill wouldn’t work well on this and today he did. He’s a really good work horse. We gave him a little bit of a head start this time–the last time Drill went to the eighth pole and didn’t want to work, but today he stayed with him. They work together all the time and what they did today was a normal work. 
“It was a good work,” the trainer continued. “I’m glad I got the work in. [Hoppertunity] looked great. He was reaching out well. Got it in and got it out of the way. I can relax now, sit around and go buy my tickets.” 

Tapiture Breezes During Lightning Storm 
    Tapiture (Tapit) worked a half-mile in :50 Monday morning as the sky opened up overhead. The colt was able to gallop out in 1:04.80 with jockey Abel Flores in the irons. “It felt like the priest’s round of golf in Caddyshack,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Only, thank goodness, we didn’t get struck by lightning at the end of it.” 
“I loved how he moved over it,” Asmussen said of the sloppy track. “I can’t say enough about Abel, under those conditions, being able to do what we wanted. He hit :50 right on and that’s what we were aiming for with the horse. He’s got a beautiful stride to him, he’s an extremely efficient mover. I’m definitely happy to get it in before they announced the track’s closed.” 

GENERAL A ROD PURCHASED 
    General a Rod (Roman Ruler), who is scheduled to run in Saturday’s GI Kentucky Derby, has been purchased by Skychai Racing in partnership with Starlight Racing, it was announced Monday. The colt was bought by J. Armando Rodriguez for $100,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale and campaigned to a win in the Gulfstream Park Derby before a second in the GII Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth S. and a third in the GI Besilu Florida Derby under the care of Mike Maker. “I am proud of my involvement with both Skychai Racing and Starlight Racing partnerships,” said James Shircliff of Skychai Racing. “I have been interested in acquiring this horse for some time, and I’m thrilled that we were finally successful in coming to terms with Mr. Rodriguez.” Mike Maker will continue to train for the Derby. 

Maker Trio Jogs 
    Trainer Mike Maker’s Derby trio of General a Rod (Roman Ruler), Harry’s Holiday (Harlan’s Holiday) and Vicar’s In Trouble (Into Mischief) jogged over the sloppy Churchill track Monday morning. “If the situation called for it, they’ve trained well over it, but as a whole, I don’t work my horses over an off track,” Maker said. “They haven’t run on it. There’s only one way to find out.” 

Wicked Strong Gets Acclimated at Churchill 
    GI Twinspires.com Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong (Hard Spun) hit the Churchill Downs track for the first time Monday morning. The Jimmy Jerkens trainee shipped into Louisville Saturday night and stayed in the barn Sunday. “He galloped pretty much like he always does, starts out real slow looking around and once he gets warmed up he starts stretching out,” Jerkens said of the colt’s first time on the track. “He didn’t pull like he does back home, only because of the combination of the mud and he’s never seen the place before. I thought he looked good and comfortable and switched his leads nice.” 

Pletcher Plans for Weather 
    Todd Pletcher’s quartet of contenders–Danza (Street Boss), Intense Holiday (Harlan’s Holiday), We Miss Artie (Artie Schiller) and Vinceremos (Pioneerof the Nile)–all jogged around the track yesterday following their workouts Sunday. “We got lucky and found a seam [in the weather] to jog the colts,” Pletcher said. “We’ll have to see how it goes with the weather tonight and tomorrow. We might go back to galloping with them [Tuesday], but the weather will be a big part of making the call.” 

Garoffalo Pleased with Wildcat Red 
    GI Besilu Florida Derby runner-up Wildcat Red (D’wildcat) shedrowed Monday morning after breezing five panels in 1:04.40 Sunday. “He’s perfect,” trainer Jose Garoffalo said. “He had a very easy workout and is saving everything for Saturday. There are people who are skeptical about the workout, but he did it so easily and [jockey Louis] Saez felt the horse did well. 
    “He did something that I really liked,” Garoffalo explained. “After he pulled up, a horse went by on his outside and he grabbed onto the bit and wanted to go with him. Saez took a hold of him, or he would have breezed again. That’s what people didn’t notice. He needs the company, but we don’t need the company during the workout. He’ll have a lot of company in the race. He’ll have 19 horses for company.”