Bold Conquest on Derby Work Tab

The Ackerley Brothers Farm’s Bold Conquest (Curlin), who would need two defections to make into the field for Saturday’s GI Kentucky Derby, was the Classic’s only contender on the Churchill work tab Monday. The chestnut colt worked five furlongs in 1:01.80. With exercise rider Abel Flores in the irons, he worked in splits of :13.20, :25.40, :37.60 and :49.60 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:16. He worked in company with Gold Hawk (Empire Maker), third in last year’s GIII LeComte S. 

“He went nice,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He goes over the track good. Nice and smooth. He handled it nice.” 

Second in last year’s GIII Iroquois S., Bold Conquest was a well-beaten third behind Derby hopeful Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway) in the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. He opened 2015 with a fourth-place effort in the GIII Southwest S., was third in the GII Rebel S. and comes into the Derby off a fifth-place finish in the Apr. 11 GI Arkansas Derby.