By US Racing Team
Authentic – Photo Courtesy of Santa Anita Park
Authentic, perhaps the better half of trainer Bob Baffert’s Derby duo, is all set for his Run for the Roses.
The Haskell Stakes (G1) winner had his final pre-Derby workout at Del Mar on Sunday (Aug. 30), 6 furlongs in 1:12.40 with exercise rider Juan Ochoa in the irons.
Authentic and Thousand Words, who worked Saturday at Del Mar, are headed to Churchill Downs on Monday, and could give Baffert a record-equaling sixth Derby victory.
Since the Haskell, Authentic, a winner in four of five career starts, has posted four workouts.
“Authentic is really doing well. I see him turning the corner,” Baffert said. “Both of my horses, I think they’re live. We just need some luck; you never know what is going to happen with that many horses in there.”
Full field unlikely for 146th Derby; Rushie latest to drop out
Rushie, who would have been among the longest shots in the Derby, will run instead in the Pat Day Mile (G2) on Derby Day.
The news came from Churchill Downs VP of racing Ben Huffman
Rushie is the fourth horse to drop off the Derby list in the past few days; Caracaro, Dr Post, and Shirl’s Speight, are the others. Money Moves will be entered, leaving the field at 17 as of Sunday.
Money Moves would give trainer Todd Pletcher his record-extending 55th Derby starter. Money Moves gets his shot after starting his career with two wins and then running second in an allowance optional claimer in July.
Not the stuff Derby champions are made of, but Pletcher, who will not attend the Derby, said: The horse ran well last time out and has been training sharply. I felt like it’s an opportunity you don’t get very often. He’s doing well so we figured we would take a shot.”
Attachment Rate breezes at the Downs
Attachment Rate – Courtesy of Churchill Downs/Coady Photography.
Attachment Rate, runner-up to Art Collector in the Ellis Park Derby, put in his final work Sunday at Churchill Downs, covering 5 furlongs in a 1:01.20
Trainer Dale Romans, 0-for-10 in the Derby, recently returned to Louisville from Saratoga.
“I thought his race at Ellis made him worthy of trying the Derby,” Romans said. “This was his second work back from the (race) and we wanted to put a nice five-eighths move in him. He ran well over the winter in both the Gotham and the Unbridled. He hung in there pretty well to finish second behind Art Collector at Ellis.”
