Perfect Drift Drills Sharp Six Furlongs At Trackside

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 19, 2002) - Stonecrest Farm's Perfect Drift, winner of the Lane's End Spiral Stakes (GII) at Turfway Park, turned in a sharp six-furlong work at Churchill Downs' Trackside Louisville training center as the Murray Johnson-trained gelding continued his preparations for Kentucky Derby 128.

The Murray Johnson trained Dynaformer gelding worked six furlongs "handily" in 1:13.60 over a "fast" track under jockey Joe Deegan. Perfect Drift worked in the company with 4-year-old stablemate Slough Creek as the two horses broke off at the finish line and completed a circuit around the six-furlong oval. Perfect Drift broke off several lengths behind his workmate, moved alongside Slough Creek on the turn and blew past him in upper stretch to finish several lengths in front at the finish. He had an initial furlong of :13 around the turn and progressed in :25.60, :49.80, 1:02.20 and galloped out seven furlongs in 1:26.

Slough Creek completed the six furlongs in 1:14.40.

Deegan was very pleased with the effort - especially his final eighth of a mile in 11:40.

"It was impressive," he said. "The horse worked as good as you could expect him to work. He settled nice behind the other horse and then when I let him run he blew by him and he finished real strong. He galloped out real strong to the 5/8th-pole. It was as good a work as you could want from a horse."

Deegan believes that Perfect Drift has taken great strides in his physical and mental development since his victory in the Lane's End Spiral on March 23.

"I think that's done more for him than anything else," Deegan said. "His confidence seemed to really grow after that and he's matured and he's growing and thickening up all the time and getting stronger. He's just coming the right way and everything has gone right for him. He's taken the right steps and, hopefully, he'll get lucky."

"I'm very happy - I couldn't be more pleased," said Johnson. "We've got a couple of more weeks to go and if it all goes this well we'll be in good shape."

Johnson is most pleased with Perfect Drift's strong finishing kick - a mover that carried him to victory in the Lane's End Spiral and one that his trainer feels the improving gelding is perfecting.

"He's got it down pat and he's done it consistently now for a couple of months," he said. "If anything he did it better today than he ever has."

Johnson said Perfect Drift would have two more works at Trackside and would not travel to Churchill Downs for training, although he will take the short journey to the big track to school in the paddock on a couple of occasions before the trip to Churchill Downs for the Derby on May 4. "I think if I was an athlete going into the biggest performance of your life, I'd prefer to be in a peaceful surrounding and what you're used to," Johnson said. "Hopefully that will work for him."

Johnson plans to breeze Perfect Drift again on Wednesday, April 24 and Tuesday, April 30.

Injury Knocks Officer Out Of Lexington - A leg injury has knocked The Thoroughbred Corp's star 3-year-old Officer out of Saturday's Coolmore Lexington Stakes (GII) at Keeneland.

Trainer Bob Baffert said Friday at Churchill Downs that a slight filling was discovered in the colt's left front leg following a Thursday gallop an examination has determined that Officer suffered what he calls a "minor injury" to the colt's soft tissue in the leg. Baffert said the injury is not career threatening.

"We'll give him 90 days off," he said. "We don't want to take any chances."

Officer recently snapped a three-race losing streak in the Zany Tactics Stakes at Santa Anita, his first race since December. The colt was the early favorite for this year's Kentucky Derby until he suffered his first loss - and started his losing streak - in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) at Belmont Park.

Take Charge Lady Breezes, McPeek Limps - Select Stable's Ashland (GI) winner Take Charge Lady breezed five furlongs on Friday at Churchill Downs as she continued her preparations for the Kentucky Oaks (GI) on May 4.

The daughter of Dehere covered the distance over a "fast" track in 1:00.40. Jockey Tony D'Amico was in the irons as Take Charge Lady moved through fractions of :23.20 and :47.60 on her way to her final clocking for trainer Ken McPeek.

"It was a piece of cake," he said. "Nice maintenance work. She's good as she's ever been, so we're on dead aim for everything."

McPeek likes where he is sitting two weeks out from the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, which figures to attract a field in the neighborhood of 12 3-year-old fillies.

"I think Bella Bellucci and my filly are the two horses that probably stand out in my mind," he said. "Maybe we have an edge because we've been two turns three times, but maybe we don't."

Take Charge Lady won her first three races, including the Walmac International Alcibiades (GII) at Keeneland, before she finished off-the-board in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) and finished second to likely Oaks contender Belterra in the Golden Rod (GII) at Churchill Downs in November. Since then, she's won three consecutive races - a streak that was capped by her romp in the Ashland.

"I gave her time off (after the Golden Rod) and she's come back bigger, stronger and much better," he said. "She's matured and I've just been really thrilled with the way she did."

Take Charge Lady was moving much better than her trainer, who was on crutches after injuring his left ankle Thursday (April 18) night in a game of pick-up basketball. McPeek was scheduled to undergo X-rays on the injury on Friday (April 19).

Derby Notes: Godolphin Racing's Essence of Dubai, winner of the UAE Derby (Gr. II), and the 1-2 finishers in the UAE Oaks, Imperial Gesture and Tempera arrived at Churchill Downs at 10:45 a.m. (EDT)....Santa Anita Derby (GI) winner Came Home and third-place finisher Lusty Latin, who boarded a plane from Southern California early Friday (April 19) morning, arrived at Churchill at 12:45 p.m.

Churchill Downs Work Tab (Track: FAST) - Dollar Bill breezed a half-mile in :51...Bright Valour breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80...Lakeside Cup breezed five furlongs in 1:02...Derby Trial (GIII) nominee Shah Jehan breezed five furlongs in :59.80 - the second fastest move of 26 at the distance...Hansel winner Storm Commander breezed five furlongs in 1:01.

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