Triple Threats

PLETCHER RUNNERS TUNE UP 
Constitution (Tapit) headlined a trio of Todd Pletcher trainees prepping for the GI Kentucky Derby Sunday morning at Palm Meadows. The undefeated colt breezed a half-mile in :50.60 at Gulfstream’s satellite training facility. 
“It was the exact same time he had in his first breeze after his allowance win, so we’re very pleased with that,” Pletcher said. “He went alone. He did it in relaxed fashion. The horse was moving super.” 
Pletcher also sent Intense Holiday (Harlan’s Holiday) and We Miss Artie (Artie Schiller) to work in company Sunday morning. The pair moved through a half-mile in :48.90. 
“I thought both horses worked well,” Pletcher said. “They galloped out strongly. They looked good.” 
Pletcher said he plans to put the horses through one more work in Florida before shipping to Kentucky. 
“All three of those horses, if the weather cooperates, will breeze back here next Sunday and go to Churchill on the 22nd and have their final breeze at Churchill,” Pletcher said. 
With Danza (Street Boss) rallying to upset the GI Arkansas Derby Saturday, Pletcher will have four runners in the Kentucky Derby. 

CAIRO PRINCE ON TRACK 
Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile), who survived the weekend’s final round of prep races to hang on to the last qualifying spot for the GI Kentucky Derby, breezed a half-mile in company with stablemate Summer Cove (Street Boss) in :48.60 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.80 Sunday morning. The work was the second fastest of 17 runners at Palm Meadows. 
“He worked great,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “We’ll do the same thing next Sunday, but we’ll go five [furlongs] and gallop out three quarters. He’ll ship out on the 22nd and have one work at Churchill.” 

MOTION ON FENCE WITH RING WEEKEND 
Trainer Graham Motion is taking a wait-and-see approach on GII Tampa Bay Derby winner Ring Weekend (Tapit)’s participation in the GI Kentucky Derby. “I want to see how he is training,” Motion said of the gelding. “I was a little disappointed in his last race, but he seems fine. I am puzzled as to why he ran so bad; maybe he bounced off the race at Tampa.” After securing a berth in the Kentucky Derby with his win at Tampa Bay Downs, Ring Weekend finished second in the Apr. 5 Calder Derby. “He will work [at Fair Hill] and we’ll see how he’s doing,” Motion continued. “We will do the right thing by the horse. He has run a lot and he has run at Churchill Downs, so there is no need to rush there.”