Sunland Park Derby (gr. III) winner Twice the Appeal breezed six furlongs over a fast track at Churchill Downs in 1:17 1/5 on April 22 as he prepped for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Fractional times for the son of Successful Appeal were :13 2/5 for the opening furlong, :51 for the half-mile and five furlongs in 1:03 3/5. He covered his final quarter mile in :26 1/5.
Trained by Jeff Bonde for owners Edward Brown Jr., Victor Flores, and Henry Hernandez, Twice the Appeal arrived in Louisville from California on April 19 and has settled into Barn 42. With the National Weather Service forecasting between one to four inches of rain before the evening of April 23, Bonde wanted to go ahead and get the workout in.
In other Derby developments, trainer Todd Pletcher said he plans to work Repole Stable’s Gotham (gr. III) winner Stay Thirsty on Sunday, April 24, and reigning juvenile champion Uncle Mo on Tuesday, April 26. Three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel is scheduled to be in the saddle for the work by Stay Thirsty. He will work both horses at approximately 8:30 a.m. on the respective days during the 15-minute work session for Derby and Oaks contenders immediately after the morning track maintenance break.
Michael Lauffer and W.D. Cubbedge’s Shackleford , runner-up in the $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I) to likely Kentucky Derby favorite Dialed In, is scheduled to work Saturday, April 23, for trainer Dale Romans during the first Derby/Oaks training session during which the track will be reserved exclusively for Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders. That session is set approximately 8:30 a.m. and follows the break for track maintenance.
Risen Star (gr. II) winner Mucho Macho Man is scheduled to work at Churchill Downs either Saturday or Sunday, according to trainer Kathy Ritvo. Ritvo said the decision on whether the Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Dream Team Racing Stable colt works on Saturday, April 23, would likely hinge on the amount of rain falling on Saturday.
Mucho Macho Man spent some time in the Churchill Downs starting gate on Friday, April 22, before a routine gallop.
Team Valor International’s Animal Kingdom , winner of the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (GIII) over the synthetic Polytrack course at Turfway Park, had been scheduled to work over the Churchill Downs strip on April 23, but Team Valor’s Barry Irwin and trainer Graham Motion elected to remain at Keeneland and work over the Polytrack course as the Lexington track.