Derby Favorites Update

It wasn't a great week for me and my Derby favorites. Secret Circle and Reveron, both of whom I favored even though Reveron was 23rd on the earnings list, are both out of contention with injuries. Reveron was withdrawn after a a left fore condylar fissure was discovered following a one-mile workout. Secret Circle, recently second to Bodemeister in the Arkansas Derby, is out with a sesamoid injury.

The Lexington Derby, which wasn't expected to have much of an effect on the Derby field anyway, turned out to be a bit of a shocker, when 70-1 longshot, All Squared Away, came in late and stole the race by 1-1/2 lengths.

A week after I removed Trinniberg from the list of Derby possibles, I had to add him back on. With Secret Circle out of the race, Trinniberg's owner has changed his mind. The big question for Trinniberg is: can he handle the distance when he's never been over 7 furlongs?

Gemologist worked five furlongs in 1:00.84 with stablemate, Overdriven, at Palm Meadows training center.  They breezed through an opening quarter of 24.87 seconds together. Gemologist remained in hand and gradually edged clear of his partner approaching the wire. He galloped out another eighth-mile in 13.29 for six furlongs in 1:14.13 before pulling up seven-eighths in 1:27.81.

El Padrino went five furlongs in 1:00.48 with Hudson Steele at Palm Meadows training center. The team posted a 25.32 first quarter before piking up the pace to complete three-eighths in 36.82. El Padrino finished about a head behind Hudson Steele after a final quarter-mile in 23.66. They continued on into the turn, galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.34 and pulling up seven-eighths in 1:26.73.

At Calder, Trinniberg's trainer postponed the work he had scheduled for Friday morning.

I'll Have Another breezed six furlongs in 1:13.60 alone at Hollywood Park on Thursday, his first workout since winning the Santa Anita Derby on April 7th.

Take Charge Indy, winner of the Florida Derby, worked five furlongs in 1:01.47 at Palm Meadows training enter on Thursday. Breaking off at the half-mile pole outside workmate Transplendent, Take Charge Indy went the opening eighth in 12.26 and 24.06 for the first quarter. He edged a length clear and completed an easy half-mile in 48.26.

Creative Cause worked five furlongs at Hollywood in 1:01.20 on Tuesday.