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KENTUCKY DERBY

WORKOUT ANALYSIS

By Zoe Cadman (@zoecadman) & Milie Ball (@camillayakteen)

HORSE DATE TRACK DISTANCE CONDITION TIME
Honor A.P 8/22 Del Mar 5 furlongs Fast 1:00.20

MILLIE BALL’S ANALYSIS: Trainer John Shirreffs definitely has turned up the heat on the training of Honor A. P.
since the Shared Belief Stakes, sending his colt out to gallop with the masses as opposed to waiting until the track
is quiet. Having Mike Smith come out to work ‘The Black Panther’ has made a colossal difference. He is mentally
so much sharper with a jockey on his back, during the work and especially finishing his last two breezes, on the
bridle and able to produce another gear, striding out fluidly passing the wire. Following the work on Aug. 22, he
galloped out in 1:11:20 and 1:25:40. Said Smith, ‘I was really happy with the way he went. His energy level was high
and I had to pull him up, so that’s a good sign. With these two works he should really be ready now.’ Honor A.P.
always has maintained a focused demeanor and, unlike Authentic, I have the utmost confidence that he will thrive
at the Derby distance. Smith advocates he is ready to run the race of his life, and he will need to in order to pose any
threat to Tiz the Law. I still don’t think he looks quite as sharp as he did going into the Santa Anita Derby.

King Guillermo 8/22 Churchill 5 furlongs Fast 58.20

ZOE CADMAN’S ANALYSIS: Though we have not seen him in the afternoon since running second to
Nadal in the May 2 Arkansas Derby, the lightly raced son of Uncle Mo is not lacking in fitness. His Aug. 22
work over the Churchill Downs strip was fantastic. Breaking away from the pony, he shook his head and
tried to speed off with rider Miguel Mena, but then relaxed in a nice rhythm with Miguel’s feet firmly in the
dashboard. King Guillermo clicked off perfect 12s. When he turned for home, he was just nudged slightly
by Miguel. His gallop-out was superb, getting over the surface like he’s done it his whole life. I can’t fault
the work (fastest of 40); he’s a very good workhorse. I’m just not sure a 20-horse field and the mile and
one-quarter will be to his liking. He may find it hard to rate under those circumstances. He will, however,
be a wiseguy horse if there’s going to be one this year. He just won’t take my money.

Thousand Words 8/23 Del Mar 5 furlongs Fast 1:00.00

MILLIE BALL’S ANALYSIS: Thousand Words was keen in the early part of his Aug. 23 work on the outside
of Cezanne. He let up on the rider at the three-furlong pole, finding a good rhythm and showing off
his pretty stride. He stayed heads up with Cezanne until the wire and left his work-mate behind on
the gallop-out, pinning his ears back in slight disapproval, making hard work of the next two furlongs.
I would have preferred to have seen less resistance and more energy, particularly when considering
his chances at a mile and one-quarter. Although he is coming into the race with an excellent pattern,
Ragozin sheets-wise, I cannot endorse him off his latest work.

Max Player 8/24 Churchill 5 furlongs Fast 59.60

ZOE CADMAN’S ANALYSIS: Now in the Steve Asmussen barn, Max Player has settled in nicely at
Churchill Downs. His Aug. 24 work over the CD strip was good (second-fastest of 48), although Florent
Geroux had to ask him a little bit more than should have been needed to keep up with his workmate.
He seems to handle the track okay; he has a bit of high action, but he looks about the same over it as
he did in New York. His last couple of races were good, but I’m just not sure he’s good enough. Distance
should not be a problem for the son of Honor Code. The jury is out on this one, and I prefer Dr Post of
the horses who chased Tiz the Law in the Belmont. Dr Post’s works at Saratoga have been really good.

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