Journalism Heads Kentucky Derby Workers at Churchill Downs Sunday

[Wandering Eyes]

Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite Journalism (Curlin) topped a work tab of six entrants for the GI Kentucky Derby by working five furlongs over a fast track in 1:01.40 Sunday morning at Churchill Downs. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Journalism put in his morning breeze during the 7:15-7:30 EST training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses.

Sunday morning the early favorite was reunited with rider Umberto Rispoli.  Journalism cut out splits of :13.60, :25.80 and :37.60, galloping out in 1:13.60 and 1:26.80.

“I was very pleased with the work,” said trainer Michael McCarthy. “Umberto was happy, so that's good. He'll just walk tomorrow. It's all good for now.”

Also working during that time were Sovereignty (Into Mischief), East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro), Rodriguez (Authentic), Publisher (American Pharoah) and Tiztastic (Tiz the Law).

Sovereignty, winner of the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes and the second choice on the morning line behind Journalism, worked five furlongs in company in 1:01.80 for trainer Bill Mott.

Regular exercise rider Javier Cardona was aboard the colt, who posted internal fractions of :25.40, :37.80 before finishing up in 1:15.

“I liked what I saw,” Mott said, overseeing the activity trackside from his pony. “He looked good coming through the stretch.”

Mott has named Junior Alvarado to ride his charge and they'll start the proceedings from post 18 in the 20-horse Derby field.

Wood Memorial winner Rodriguez, the co-fourth choice on the morning line, worked five furlongs in 1:00 for trainer Bob Baffert. East Avenue, runner-up in the GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, worked five furlongs in :59.40 for trainer Brendan Walsh.

Rodriguez was accompanied by Martin Garcia, who came off the track at the five and a half-furlong gap. The track's clockers caught the pair in :12.20, :24.20, :36.20 and :47.60 splits, then timed him “out” in 1:12.60 and 1:27.

“Amazing work; amazing,” the rider said shaking his head in a form of pleasing disbelief. “He was in hand all the way.”

Trainer Steve Asmussen's Derby duo of Publisher, with Wilson Fabian in the irons, breezed a half-mile in :49 and Tiztastic, ridden by Carlos Rosas, worked a half-mile in :50.20.

Scheduled to work Monday morning are Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), Coal Battle (Coal Front) and Baeza (McKinzie).

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