Easter Sunday (April 8) was a busy day for four contenders for the April 14 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I). They went through their final preparations for the 1 1/8-mile test at Keeneland that is one of the final preps for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Dullahan, winner of the 2011 Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I), sizzled five furlongs in :57 2/5 at Keeneland, easily the best workout of the day among 33 horses working the distance over the artificial Polytrack surged.
A son of Even the Score trained by Dale Romans, Dullahan has three placings, in addition to the Breeders’ Futurity win, to his credit.
Also breezing at Keeneland for the Blue Grass, which is expected to include 2011 champion 2-year-old male Hansen, was Raconteur, who went five furlongs in 1:01 2/5. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Raconteur is an A.P. Indy colt who won the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park in his subsequent start.
At Santa Anita, trainer Bob Baffert worked Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) winner Drill , who went five furlongs in 1:00 4/5.
Also at Santa Anita, Holy Candy, a son of Candy Ride who passed the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) for the Blue Grass, worked six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 for trainer John Sadler.
Asked about skipping the Santa Anita Derby for the impressive maiden winner, Sadler said, “We thought three weeks would be better than two (following his maiden win) and Candy Rides run well on both surfaces, and he’s done a lot of training on synthetics (Keeneland’s main track is synthetic Polytrack).”
Raconteur breezed at Keeneland.
Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club