Essence Of Dubai works seven furlongs
April 24, 2002
By John Asher and Gary Yunt

Kentucky Derby Headlines

• Essence Of Dubai works seven furlongs
  
• Request For Parole breezes 3/4 mile
  
• Blue Burner, Saarland arrive from N.Y.
  
• Lake Lady out of Oaks
  

The move was accomplished before 7 o'clock over a fast track. As is his custom, Essence Of Dubai wore blinkers in the work.

"I thought he went very well," said Tom Albertrani, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor. "We were kind of looking for that kind of work, and it looked like he finished up well.

"It seems like things have been going well since he got here and I have been pleased with the way he has been training over the track He has been full of energy since he got here. I am hoping it is positive energy that doesn't turn into nervous energy. Right now he is doing good and things are going well for him."

Albertrani said Essence Of Dubai would probably have his final work Tuesday of five-eighths.

Essence Of Dubai will give Godolphin representation in four consecutive Derbies. Last year, Express Tour had three works prior to the Derby; in 2000 Curule and China Visit had one work each; and, in 1999, Worldly Manner had works of seven-eighths and five-eighths.

"Express Tour came over early because of the hoof and mouth outbreak in Europe," Albertrani said. "Curule and China Visit got in late, so that's probably the reason for the one work. This horse will be pretty much the same as Worldly Manner.

"I think it is better to have a horse with the two races under him when you come here as opposed to Worldly Manner, who didn't have any races (that spring) before he came here. I think we will have a horse that is a lot more focused and may be a little tougher, not so much for the work schedule, but that is why we put on those races, to have these horses ready for this kind of test.

"We are always looking into doing things better for whatever is going to help the operation. I don't know if they were looking at it in that way where we needed to have a race or not, because we do it for a lot of races the same way where they will go into it without a race for three or four months."

Essence Of Dubai won the UAE Derby at the Kentucky Derby distance of the mile and a quarter in his last start March 23.

"I think it will help him a lot knowing he has done the mile and a quarter as far as stamina goes," Albertrani said. "We just have to see how he stands up to the other horses here, knowing that the competition there (in Dubai) may not have been as stiff. At least we know he can go the distance."

REQUEST FOR PAROLE - Jeri and Sam Knighton's Request For Parole turned in his final work for the Kentucky Derby, going six furlongs in 1:13.40 under jockey Robby Albarado after the renovation break.

Working in company with Binyamin, Request For Parole went the first eighth in :12, the quarter in :23.40 and the half in :49.

"It was good," trainer Steve Margolis said. "Robby thought he finished good. I wanted him to finish because we wanted a good work since it was his last work.

"He sat off the other horse, and turning for home, he asked him a little bit and he responded well and galloped out good."

Since finishing third in the Spiral Stakes on March 23 at Turfway, Request For Parole worked a half-mile in 49.60 on April 7, and 1:02.40 on April 17. Today's work was the only one in company and marked the first time Albarado had been on the colt.

"I'm pleased with his move this morning," said Albarado, who has ridden in the Derby four times. "I tried to get him kind as can be early and finish up, and make sure he was there for me. He's got great action and covers a lot of ground. He's a fresh horse, and I think that's a plus coming into this race."

Albarado was asked the value of getting a test drive, so to speak.

"It was very important for me, just to get the feel of him, feel his gears, see how many gears he has in him," Albarado said. "He gave me a good response this morning and I was real pleased with him. Now I am going to go over tapes of all his races, over and over again. He's a push-button horse, and if I need to get to a spot quick with him, he'll be there for me."

BLUE BURNER - Kinsman Stable's Blue Burner, fifth in the Wood Memorial (GI), arrived at Churchill Downs at noon after shipping from his home base at Belmont Park.

Blue Burner will be housed in Barn 19 along with trainer Bill Mott's Kentucky string of horses.

CAME HOME - Santa Anita Derby (GI) winner Came Home jogged a mile under exercise rider Sal Gonzalez Sr. before the renovation break.

Trainer Paco Gonzalez said Came Home, who worked six furlongs on Tuesday in 1:12.60, would gallop Friday and have his final Derby work on Monday.

CRIMSON HERO/STRAIGHT GIN - Tracy Farmer's Crimson Hero and Marylou Whitney's Straight Gin each galloped 1 ½ miles for trainer Nick Zito. Exercise rider Jamie Sanders was in the irons for each of those gallops.

EASY GRADES - Desperado Stables' Easy Grades galloped two miles after the renovation break under exercise rider Cindy Lerille.

"He didn't turn a hair this morning," trainer Ted H. West said. "I think he'll get the distance.

Easy Grades, who will be ridden in the Derby by Jorge Chavez, is scheduled to have final work Sunday or Monday.

HARLAN'S HOLIDAY - "Harlan's Holiday walked and Kenny McPeek limped," joked trainer Ken McPeek, he of the broken left ankle from a basketball game last week, of the Derby activity at Barn 10.

Harlan's Holiday had worked five furlongs in :59.20, the best of 21 at the distance on Wednesday. The Florida Derby and Blue Grass Stakes winner is scheduled to return to the track Friday.

IT'SALLINTHECHASE - With trainer Wilson Brown on hand for the first time this week, It'sallinthechase visited the paddock and then galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Joe Higgins before the renovation break.

Brown plans to work It'sallinthechase five furlongs after the break Sunday morning with Derby rider Eddie Martin Jr. up for the first time.

Lusty Latin - Joey and Wendy Platts' Lusty Latin jogged in the mile chute under exercise rider Amy Mullins and then galloped a mile and a half after the renovation break.

MEDAGLIA D'ORO - Edmund Gann's winner of the San Felipe (GII) and runner-up in the Wood Memorial (GI) jogged Thursday as he returned to the track for the first time since a Tuesday workout. Exercise rider Marco Ramirez was in the irons. Trainer Bobby Frankel said the El Prado colt is "doing great."

Ocean Sound - Rebel Stakes runner-up Ocean Sound galloped a mile and half after the renovation break under exercise rider Adam Kitchingman up.

It was Ocean Sound's first trip back to the track since working seven furlongs in 1:28.20 on Tuesday.

PERFECT DRIFT - Stonecrest Farm's Perfect Drift limited his activity to walking trainer Murray Johnson's shedrow at the Trackside Training Center.

Johnson said Perfect Drift, who worked a half-mile in :49 on Wednesday, would return to the track Friday and then come over to Churchill Downs to school in the paddock Saturday.

PRIVATE EMBLEM/WINDWARD PASSAGE - Trainer Steve Asmussen's two Kentucky Derby hopefuls visited the starting gate and galloped a mile Thursday morning.

Team Valor's Windward Passage was out before the renovation break with assistant trainer Scott Blasi up. James Cassels and Bob Zollars' Private Emblem went out after the break with exercise rider Lisa Orn up.

Proud Citizen - Coolmore Lexington (GII) winner Proud Citizen galloped for trainer D. Wayne Lukas on Thursday. Exercise rider Dimitri Dimitropoulos was in the saddle.

SAARLAND - Cynthia Phipps' Saarland arrived at Churchill Downs on Thursday at noon after shipping in from his home base at Belmont Park.

The Shug McGaughey-trainee will be housed in Barn 43.

SUNDAY BREAK - Koji Maeda's Sunday Break, third in the Wood Memorial (GI), galloped 1 ¼ miles under exercise rider Marcelino Olguin.

WAR EMBLEM - Trainer Bob Baffert said the Thoroughbred Corporation's War Emblem came out of his six-furlong work of Wednesday in good order and would return to the track in the morning.

Baffert said War Emblem would have his final work Tuesday.

Wild Horses - With exercise rider Cindy Hutter up, Peachtree Stable's Wild Horses galloped 1 ½ miles before the renovation break.

Hutter said that trainer Todd Pletcher was scheduled to arrive in Louisville later Thursday and tentative plans call for Wild Horses to work Sunday.

IN OAKS NEWS....

LAKE LADY OUT OF KENTUCKY OAKS - Trainer Steve Asmussen has declared Coast To Coast Racing Fun's Lake Lady out of consideration for the Kentucky Oaks (GI) on May 3. Asmussen said he has not been able to pinpoint a specific problem, but the daughter of Salt Lake did not come out of a Monday work as well as he had hoped and she will be given some time off.

"She's not a hundred percent," said Asmussen. "I didn't think she came out of the work 100 percent and this is absolutely not a group of horses (in the Oaks) that you can play with, so it's just not going to be her day."

Asmussen said that Lake Lady was examined at Churchill Downs and then was shipped to Rood & Riddle equine clinic in Lexington, Ky. for a thorough examination, but no obvious problem surfaced.

"We took a bunch of X-rays of her and they were negative," he said. "We're very comfortable with that. We're just going to have to wait and come back with her another time. She's had some hard races this spring and not feeling that she's a 100 percent physically, we're going to back off and give her some time."

Asmussen had been looking forward to a bid for the Kentucky Oaks because two of Lake Lady's best races came over the course at Churchill Downs last fall, but he refused to characterize this development with the filly as a disappointment.

"I'm not disappointed in her," said Asmussen. "She's run such good races for us that there's no other way to look at it. I'm very proud of the effort that she's put in and the responsible decision for us it to evaluate where we're at now. It isn't the right thing to move forward. She's a great mare and I think every one of her races has been strong and she'll come back a great mare for us."

Lake Lady has a record of 4-3-0 in eight races, including victories in the Tiffany Lass and Thelma Stakes at the Fair Grounds. She has earned $286,160.

IN OTHER OAKS NEWS...

BELLA BELLUCCI - Michael Tabor's winner of the Comely (GIII) galloped 1 ¼ miles for trainer Neil Drysdale. Exercise rider Marcelino Olguin was in the saddle.

BELTERRA/TAKE CHARGE LADY - Trainer Carl Nafzger's Kentucky Oaks duo of Robert Manfuso's Belterra and Elizabeth Valando's Take The Cake walked on Thursday.

Both fillies had worked five furlongs on Tuesday and jogged on Wednesday.

HABIBTI - Trainer Bob Baffert said that the Thoroughbred Corporation's Habibti walked the shedrow a day after working six furlongs in 1:13.40.

Baffert said Habibti would not have another work before the Oaks.

IMPERIAL GESTURE/TEMPERA - Godolphin Racing's two Kentucky Oaks hopefuls galloped a mile and a quarter before the renovation break. Lee Roebuck was on Imperial Gesture and Rachel Dore on Tempera.

The two are scheduled to work either Monday or Tuesday.

MS BROOKSKI/CHAMROUSSE - Trainer Niall O'Callaghan said Gary Tanaka's Bonnie Miss (GII) winner Ms Brookski walked under the shedrow on the day after a five-furlong workout. "She came out of it great," said O'Callaghan.

Arthur Hancock III and James Stone's Chamrousse galloped under assistant trainer Jennifer Brown. There is a slight chance she would run in the Oaks, but O'Callaghan has said she is more likely for the Black-Eyed Susan (GII) at Pimlico on May 17.

TAKE CHARGE LADY - Select Stable's Take Charge Lady galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Helen Pitts after the renovation break.

Trainer Ken McPeek said Take Charge Lady would work five-eighths Friday morning after the break with regular rider Tony D'Amico up.

YOU - Trainer Bobby Frankel said Edmund Gann's You walked under the shedrow on the day after a six-furlong work at Churchill Downs. Frankel said the You And I filly may walk again on Friday.

WORK TAB (TRACK: FAST) - Kentucky Derby Trial (GIII) hopeful Mayakovsky drilled three furlongs in :34.60, the fastest of 17 at the distance...2000 Travers (GI) winner Unshaded breezed four furlongs in :49.40...Veteran sprint star Bet On Sunshine worked six furlongs in 1:14.80.

TURF (CONDITION: SOFT) - Woodford Reserve (GI) possible Hap breezed five furlongs in 1:05.40...Rushaway Stakes winner Mr. Mellon went five furlongs 1:05.60...Crown Royal (GIII) nominee Orchard Park went five furlongs in 1:06...Stage Call, trained by Elliott Walden, went five furlongs 1:03.60, which tied for the best of 16 works at the distance....Edgwood nominee Traci's Wild breezed five furlongs in 1:05.20...Touch Of The Blues, being pointed to the Woodford Reserve, worked six furlongs in 1:17.80.

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