Ken and Sarah Ramesy’s homebred Dean's Kitten worked five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 over a sloppy track at the Churchill Training Center April 23.
With Derrick Smith up and working in company with filly Age of Humor, the son of Kitten's Joy was timed in the sixth fastest time of 12 workers at the distance in the morning session. It was his final tune-up prior to the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
“He worked fine,” trainer Mike Maker said. “He’s not a stellar worker and he does what he has to do. He’s healthy and there was nothing out of character in his work.
“It was getting a little sloppy out there,” Maker said. “But he got over a good track.”
The splits for the work were :11 1/5, :22 3/5, :35 3/5, :47 4/5, galloping out in 1:17 3/5.
Weather and rain is a major factor over the weekend regarding horses being worked in preparation for the Derby. Maker moved up the work a day from his original schedule. Reports note that as much as 2-3 inches of rain may fall in the Louisville area in the next 48 hours.
Dean’s Kitten, who is out of the Ide mare Summer Theatre, last worked April 12, rolling to a :59 4/5 work over the Training Center surface. Maker said Dean’s Kitten will gallop the next few days and ship from the Training Center to Churchill Downs April 29.
Dean’s Kitten earned his Derby berth following a 2 1/2-length score in the March 27 Lane’s End Stakes (gr. II) over the Polytrack at Turfway Park. Earlier in the year he was second behind fellow Derby contender Paddy O'Prado in the Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream. In all, Dean’s Kitten has a 3-1-2 mark from 11 starts—all but one start on synthetic surfaces or turf—and has earned $418,495.
The Ramseys hope to have a second runner in the Derby in Pleasant Prince, who starts in Churchill Downs' opening-day The Cliff's Edge Derby Trial (gr. III) April 24. A victory is needed to assure enough graded stakes earnings to make the field for the Kentucky Derby.