Team Valor International and Mark Ford’s Went the Day Well, winner of the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. III) in his most recent start March 24, worked five furlongs in company in 1:02 on April 14 at Keeneland.
Working with Under Control, a 4-year-old allowance winner this year at Tampa Bay Downs, Went the Day Well recorded fractions of :13 2/5, :25 4/5, :37 3/5, and out six furlongs in 1:16. Under Control, with Heather Craig up, started about a half-length in front and maintained that margin to the wire over Went the Day Well, who was partnered by Zeke Castro.
“He worked fine and we were not looking for anything flashy,” trainer Graham Motion said. “It was his first work since a big race and we still have plenty of time (before the May 5 Kentucky Derby).”
Motion is following the same pattern with Went the Day Well that he did last spring with Animal Kingdom , who trained at Keeneland after winning the Spiral and then won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
“He will work again next Saturday and do more than he did today,” Motion said about Went the Day Well. “Then we will take him over to Churchill the following Wednesday or Thursday and then have a final work the Saturday or Sunday before the Derby, depending on the weather. That schedule worked well with Animal Kingdom last year.”