Daily Kentucky Derby Report
Photos and Text by Emily Hufford


Stakes Winner Crimson Stag at Sunrise

 

Last night I was trying to fall asleep and wondering what it was, the thing that makes horse people get up before sunrise every morning. What is it about the Derby, especially, that leaves a knot in your stomach and tension in your heart from 5 am until training hours are over? This morning I was rushing around, trying to catch everything and miss nothing. Someone asked me, "How do you handle this time of year? How do you see all the horses training?" And I had to reply with, "You have to make yourself everywhere at once!"

Amelia had to take a final this morning, so at 6:30 I ventured to the track by myself, armed with her camera. Her camera and I don't really get along, and her camera is the reason I decided to stick to writing and give up on photography. I wasn't there for 5 minutes before I saw Don't Get Mad walking off the racetrack. I pointed, shot, and looked down to see a black screen. Crisis! I called Amelia and she talked me through changing the settings. Phew, crisis averted, and it was time to get down to business.

Sun King

Greater Good Works
Sun King was supposed to work at 6:45, and the media waited anxiously. 6:50 and still no sign of Sun King, then 6:55 and I started to think I'd managed to miss it during the camera crisis, and began to hunt for Greater Good, who would be working at 7 am. Suddenly I heard, "He's coming!" and I looked to see two Nick Zito horses barrelling towards us. Success! Sun King ended up working five furlongs in 1:00 with stablemates Chief Commander and Indy Storm. Right after that, Memorette galloped by, and then Greater Good emerged onto the racetrack. I loved the way he worked, but didn't like the way he galloped out, to be honest. He went in 1:17.2, and Bob Holthus told me that although 1:17 wasn't what he wanted to see, he is still very happy with his horse's progress.

Memorette
During the break, I visited some two-year-olds who might be on the Kentucky Derby and Oaks trails next year. Manistique's two-year-old daughter Tafcar is with Carl Nafzger, and Dallas Stewart has both Flanders Fields and Circle of Fire. Flanders Fields is by A.P. Indy out of Flanders, and Circle of Fire is Flanders' half brother.

Circle of Fire

Flanders Fields

A crowd gathered outside the gap before the track opened again, and an appreciative murmur rose when Bobby Frankel led out his two star horses. Like titans, 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper led Derby hopeful High Limit towards the racetrack. Behind them, Andromeda's Hero approached, and when the track was opened, the son of Fusaichi Pegasus reared into the sky, his red mane billowing back.

Ghostzapper and High Limit worked in company, and High Limit was ahead when they reached the first turn again. Andromeda's Hero also worked, and a few minutes later Greeley's Galaxy stepped onto the racetrack, ready for his workout. He worked a full mile, and he is such a muscular, well bodied horse. Dance Away Capote was the only Oaks filly I saw after the break, and somehow I managed to miss Sort It Out this morning by only a minute.

Tafcar

High Fly Walks the Zito Shedrow

Ghostzapper Works

Greeley's Galaxy Works

Ghostzapper

Andromeda's Hero Works

Andromeda's Hero

Dance Away Capote

High Limit Works

On my way out of the track, I literally almost ran into Kitten's Joy, back at Churchill finally. "You know this horse?" asked his groom. "Of course I know this horse!" I laughed. "This horse... this is a good horse!" he smiled back.


Kitten's Joy Chills Out

Churchill Downs during Derby season is all about good horses, and I'm aware of how lucky I am to be around them. Until tomorrow!