Lookin At Lucky and Conveyance, two contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) trained by Bob Baffert, worked at Churchill Downs April 15.
Lookin At Lucky was first out of the barn and was the first horse to hit the track following the mid-session break for track maintenance. He breezed an easy five furlongs under exercise rider Dana Barnes in 1:01.20. Barnes was also aboard Conveyance as the Southwest (gr. III) winner and Sunland Derby (gr. III) runner-up went five furlongs in 1:00.60.
Lookin At Lucky -- Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman’s reigning 2-year-old champion and Rebel Stakes (gr. II) winner – covered the distance in fractional times of :12.60, :25.20, :37.40 and :49.6 over a fast track. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.60.
Zabeel Racing International’s Conveyance turned in fractional times of :13.60, :37.40 and :49 in his five-furlong move and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.60.
"I just wanted to get over the track and see where they stand – just get a little easy five-eighths into both of them," Baffert said in a statement from Churchill Downs. "It seemed like they went over it nice."
Baffert said each of his Derby contenders would have two additional works over the one-mile dirt surface before the Derby.
"I just want to see how they handle it when they work," he said. "They’re coming from synthetic, so I just want to get them that extra stroll through there to get used to it because, you know, it’s different. It’s totally different from what they’re used to. I think we’ll sharpen them up for the next work."
Baffert said there he would make an equipment change for Lookin At Lucky in the Kentucky Derby. He will remove the blinkers the colt has worn in his last two starts, including a troubled third-place finish behind Sidney's Candy in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) in his final Derby prep.
"You learn more from your losses than your wins, so I’m taking the blinkers off him," Baffert said. "He doesn’t need blinkers. The thought was he needed a target, because he’d make the lead. But he’s going to have plenty of targets in the Derby with all those horses in there. I think it’ll settle him a little bit. He was getting a little antsy at Oaklawn with me (in the Rebel) with the blinkers on going to the gate, and he’s usually a pretty cool customer. So he doesn’t need ‘em."
Lookin At Lucky’s effort was a solo work that Baffert said was "the first time Lucky’s ever worked by himself."
Baffert said he plans to let the speedy Conveyance take full advantage of his best weapon -- natural speed – in the Kentucky Derby.
"He’s a good horse," Baffert said. "I liked the way he went today. He’s fast. We’re going to let him run. Last time we kind of grabbed him and took a hold of him a little bit. He’s a free-running horse and I guess we need to let him get out there and go do his thing."
Baffert said both horses would work again around the middle of next week while Baffert watches to see how the anticipated 20-horse field for the Derby shakes out.
"Eskendereya , he looks like a complete standout right now," Baffert said. "But the California horses seem to be holding their form pretty well when they leave town, so that’s a big plus. But we still have three weeks to go and a lot can happen. You’re not safe until you put that saddle on."
