Keen Ice, Puca & Finnegan!

Dear Parents and Friends,

Keen Ice

Keen Ice had a very good morning on the work tab at Churchill. Thought you would enjoy receiving the report below.

Not long after Keen Ice's breeze this morning, the news of One Lucky Dane being off the Derby trail moved Keen Ice to number 21...one off the starting gate.    

KEEN ICE BREEZES SIX FURLONGS IN 1:13.20; 'PROTOTYPE DERBY HORSE' HOPES TO MAKE FIELD 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, April 18, 2015) - Donegal Racing's Keen Ice, a closing fourth in the Louisiana Derby (GII), breezed six furlongs in 1:13.20 Saturday morning at Churchill Downs while in company with a workmate. Breaking off from the five-furlong pole, exercise rider Tammy Fox positioned Keen Ice on the outside of the companion and guided the 3-year-old Curlin colt through fractions of :23.20, :35.20, :47.20 and :59.80. After the conclusion of the work to the seven-eighths pole, Keen Ice galloped out an addition furlong in 1:27.60.

Keen Ice, who broke his maiden at Churchill Downs in September, has banked $160,395 from a record of 1-0-2 in seven starts. He accrued 22 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby from third place finishes in the Remsen (2 points) and Risen Star (10 points) and his Louisiana Derby fourth (10 points). That puts him No. 22 on the preference list, which means he needs two horses to withdraw in order to compete in the May 2 classic. 

"We've been taking our time with this horse," trainer Dale Romans said. "I've never really squeezed the lemon and made him work fast because he's not a naturally fast workhorse. But coming into this race (the Kentucky Derby), he's done everything we've asked him to do. We've been hoping to squeeze the lemon the last three weeks before the Derby and have him peak to run an all-time best race on the first Saturday in May. So far it's working out well. He had a fast five-eighths work last week (1:00.20 on April 11) and this week he comes back three-quarters (of a mile) in 1:13 and change. We've got one more big work ahead of us and two defections are all we need.

"This is a prototype Derby horse. He's built like one - big and strong and should be able to handle himself if he gets bumped around - and the further they run, the better. Every race he's run, he's been closing fast. This is the first time these horses will be going a mile-and-a-quarter. He does not control his own destiny like a horse that has tactical pace and they forwardly place themselves. We're going to need a fast pace and a clean trip but if we get it then he's the type of horse that can win the Derby."

Puca

Not to be overlooked this a.m. was PUCA, Donegal's sweetheart. Bill Mott's barn was very happy as you can see by the article below:

Bill Mott's Puca on pace for Kentucky Oaks

Talk of a rapid pace has dominated discussion of how this year's Kentucky Derby may play out with favorites American Pharoah, Dortmund and Carpe Diem all possessing a nose for the early lead.

The May 1 Kentucky Oaks' setup remains relatively unknown, though, and that's just fine with an assistant trainer to Bill Mott who watched Donegal Racing's Puca breeze Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Four furlongs in 48.20 with stablemate Japan, a 3-year-old colt who finished up just ahead, ranked 10/57.

"This filly, if you look at all her races, she sits mid pack or a little bit off it," Mott's Kenny McCarthy said of Puca, who finished second last time out in Aqueduct's Grade II Gazelle Stakes won by Condo Commando, a top Oaks contender.

"So it's one of those things where, I think you can over-think pace sometimes in both the Derby and the Oaks. I think you just have to let your horse dictate where they're most comfortable."

Puca, a Big Brown filly, broke her maiden Oct. 1 at Belmont. She went on to finish off the board in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile fillies and fourth in the Feb. 21 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

"Looking at her, I was pretty impressed with her myself," McCarthy added.. "I thought that work this morning was perfect. We were sort of looking for how she'd handle the track. She's obviously galloped over it for a week now and been fine. But until you really set them down on it -- she did it awfully easy and galloped out strong. That's what we like."

Also on the track Saturday was Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Birdatthewire, whose five furlongs in 59.60 ranked 4/57, as well as Santa Anita Oaks runner-up Luminance, whose bullet half mile in 46.20 was fastest of 57 on track at Churchill Downs.

Finnegan's Wake 

Finnegan had his own good day! As Finnegan's Wake prepares for the Woodford Reserve he too had a very good day on the work tab as well.