Donegal Racing’s Dullahan, the Kentucky Derby third-place finisher who will be seeking to block the Triple Crown bid of I'll Have Another , breezed a mile at Churchill Downs the morning of May 26.
With Tammy Fox aboard for trainer Dale Romans, the son of Even the Score was timed in 1:43 for the mile. According to the Churchill communications department, the fractional splits were :26, :38 3/5, :51 2/5, 1:04 3/5, and 1:17 2/5 for three-quarters of a mile. He galloped out 1 1/8 miles in 1:57.
“He worked great,” Romans said. “It was just what we were looking for. He seemed to get stronger as he went along.”
A half brother to Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Mine That Bird, Dullahan finished third in this year’s Derby, 1 3/4 lengths behind winner I'll Have Another . Dullahan sat out the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), won by I’ll Have Another in impressive fashion, and will seek to end that colt’s attempt at the Triple Crown in the June 9 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Romans said Dullahan will ship to New York late May 27 and arrive early Memorial Day. He said jockey Javier Castellano, who will replace Kent Desormeaux on Dullahan for the Belmont, will be aboard for the colt’s next work at Belmont Park June 2.
Dullahan is two-time grade I winner at Keeneland, winning the Breeders’ Futurity last October and the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes April 14 on Polytrack.