Prospective , winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) March 10, breezed five furlongs 1:03 on a fast main track at Churchill Downs the morning of March 27.
Trained by Mark Casse for owner John Oxley, Prospective is working toward either the Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I) at Aqueduct Racetrack on April 7 or the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland on April 14 on the road to the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Working shortly after the track opened at 6 a.m. (ET) under regular exercise rider Melanie Giddings, the dark bay or brown son of Malibu Moon recorded fractions of :14 1/5, :27, :39 1/5, and :51 3/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:16.40 while working in company with a stablemate.
“The work went very well,” assistant trainer Norman Casse said. “We’re excited that he’s become much more professional in his works. He was on the bridle the whole way and galloped out very nicely. He seems to be maturing physically and mentally at the right time.”
Also working for the connections of Oxley and Casse March 27 was Florida Oaks winner Dixie Strike, who recently finished third in the Herecomesthebride Stakes (gr. III) on turf. The Canadian-bred daughter of Dixie Union breezed five furlongs under exercise rider Juan Bernardini in :59 3/5, the fastest of four works at the distance.
“She worked tremendous this morning,” Casse said.
Casse noted Dixie Strike would make her next start in the Central Bank Ashland (gr. I) at Keeneland on April 7 with hopes of going on to run in the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) May 4.