Eskendereya, Sidney's Candy Drill for Derby

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Photo: Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography

Sidney's Candy worked 5 furlongs at Churchill Downs on April 17.

Eskendereya and Sidney’s Candy, two of leading candidates for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), were on the move April 17, with Eskenderaya breezing five furlongs in 1:02 at Palm Meadows and Sidney’s Candy breezing five furlongs in :59 4/5 at Churchill Downs.

Eskendereya  , winner of the Wood Memorial (gr. I) in his last start, will ship to Churchill Downs April 20, where he will have his final work for the Derby. His breeze was the fourth fastest work of the 14 on the tab.

Trainer Todd Pletcher had tentatively scheduled the Zayat Stable colt to work Sunday morning at Palm Meadows before boarding a plane Tuesday for the flight to Louisville, but weather forecast for possible heavy rain caused the trainer to call an audible and move the work up to Saturday.

With exercise rider Patty Berry in the saddle, Eskendereya worked by himself, posting splits of :13, :25, and :37 2/5, galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 2/5 and seven furlongs in 1:29 3/5.

“It rained here last night and the track was about a second slower than usual,” said Pletcher after the work, “I was very pleased with the way he and all of our other horses worked. He (Eskendereya) went just like he did before the Wood (Memorial). Everything has gone as planned so far.”

Sidney’s Candy, who has never been on dirt, was testing the Churchill Downs strip for the first time. His work was the second fastest of 18 at the distance.

Also working for trainer Todd Pletcher at Palm Meadows were Derby hopefuls Rule   and Discreetly Mine  . Rule, who breezed his five panels in 1:02 3/5,  will be attempting to win the Derby off a six-week layoff, having run last in the Florida Derby (gr. I).

Discreetly Mine, winner of the Risen Star (gr. III) and fourth in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II), drilled five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 handily.

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