Bullet for King Guillermo

[Wandering Eyes]

Victoria Ranch’s King Guillermo (Uncle Mo), off since a runner-up effort in the May 2 GI Arkansas Derby, worked a bullet five furlongs in :59.40  (1/46) Saturday morning at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby. With jockey Miguel Mena aboard, the bay colt worked through splits of :24.40, :36.80, and :48 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12. As he neared the wire, Mena had to navigate King Guillermo through a trio of slowing horses and directed the colt from the rail to the far outside and continued galloping out around the clubhouse turn.

“He was working really fast at the wire and he wanted to continue going around the turn,” Mena said. “He went super easy over the ground and it was fun breezing him. He’s a naturally fast horse.”

Trainer Juan Avila is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs next week and Florida-based jockey Samy Camacho is slated to ride King Guillermo in the Derby.

Trainer Brad Cox sent 2018 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) out to work in company with 2020 Oaks contender Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), with the pair going five furlongs in 1:00.20 (5/46) at Churchill Saturday. Shedaresthedevil was on the inside as the duo worked through fractions of :23.80 and :47.40 and continued to gallop out together to the backstretch.

“Both of these horses worked really well this morning,” Cox said. “I thought it was a great workout pairing and Shedaresthedevil did well against  Monomoy.”

Monomoy Girl is expected to start in the GI La Troienne S. on the Sept. 4 Oaks undercard.

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