Trainer Barclay Tagg worked Big Truck and Elysium Fields each four furlongs April 8 over the Keeneland Polytrack. Big Truck got the distance in :46.60, the fastest of 56 works at that distance for the day. Elysium Fields was clocked in :47.60.
Following the works, Tagg said Big Truck is still under consideration for Saturday’s Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).
“He worked a little faster than I desired, but not too fast,” Tagg said. “He’s a fast horse. But he did it very easily and he handled the track well.”
Tagg added that he wants to see how the Hook and Ladder colt comes out of the work before making a final decision on whether to enter him in the Blue Grass. Big Truck, who handed champion War Pass his first defeat in the March 15 Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III), is owned by Eric Fein.
Tagg reported that Robert Evans’ Elysium Fields would not start in the Blue Grass, but may run in Keeneland’s Coolmore Lexington (gr. II) April 19.
“He worked very well, but he’s got some congestion and we need to get that cleared up,” Tagg said. He described the colt as only a “slight possible” for the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
The post position draw for the Blue Grass will be April 9 at 11:30 a.m. in the Keeneland sale pavilion. TVG will provide live coverage.
Other races during Blue Grass week include the April 10 Stonerside Beaumont Stakes (gr. II), the April 11 Maker's Mark Mile (gr. IT), and the Commonwealth Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. II) and Jenny Wiley Stakes (gr. IIT) on the Blue Grass undercard April 12.
The Maker's Mark commemorative bottle signing will take place April 11. This year’s commemorative bottle honors legendary University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach Joe B. Hall. Bottles went on sale April 4 at select retail liquor stores. Proceeds from bottle sales support the Markey Cancer Foundation.
The bottle signing begins at 6:30 a.m. in the Keeneland grandstand and features Coach Hall, Maker’s Mark president Bill Samuels, and Keeneland president Nick Nicholson. Limit two bottles per person.