Gallops galore Thursday at Churchill Downs

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Louisville, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Kentucky Derby contenders stabled at Churchill Downs did plenty of galloping Thursday without any timed workouts recorded.

Champion colt American Pharoah, trained by Bob Baffert, galloped 1 1/2 miles with exercise rider Jorge Alvarez and stood in the starting gate at Churchill. The Arkansas Derby winner is owned by Zayat Stables and will have Victor Espinoza in the saddle for the Run for the Roses on May 2. Espinoza guided California Chrome in his Derby victory last year,

Wood Memorial runner-up Tencendur, trained by George Weaver, galloped 1 3/8 miles Thursday morning with exercise rider Blair Golen aboard. The 3-year-old is owned by Philip Birsh and will be ridden in the Derby by Manny Franco.

"He galloped well this morning and everything looks good," said Weaver.

Bold Conquest, trained by Steve Asmussen, went to the starting gate then galloped Thursday morning with exercise rider Abel Flores. The colt, third in the Rebel Stakes, is owned by the Ackerley Brothers Farm.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has four of his five Kentucky Derby hopefuls stabled at Churchill with Carpe Diem at Keeneland. Madefromlucky, owned by Cheyenne Stables and Mac Nichol, galloped a little more than 1 1/4 miles with Ezequiel Perez up. Florida Derby champ Materiality, owned by Alto Racing, galloped with Carlos Cano aboard. Starlight Racing's Itsaknockout, fourth in the Florida Derby, also galloped under Ezequiel Perez. Louisiana Derby runner-up Stanford, owned by Stonestreet Stables, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, galloped under Isabelle Bourez.

Carpe Diem, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes, galloped 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland with Pletcher observing.

Owned by John Oxley, Danzig Moon galloped 1 1/2 miles with exercise rider William Cano up. The Blue Grass runner-up is trained by Mark Casse with Casse's son Norman supervising at Churchill.

Arkansas Derby runner-up Far Right, trained by Ron Moquett for Harry Rosenblum and Robert LaPenta, galloped 1 3/4 miles with Laura Moquett aboard.

Louisiana Derby winner International Star, owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, galloped 1 1/4 miles at the Trackside training center under exercise rider Joel Barrientos. Trainer Mike Maker will give a leg up to Miguel Mena for the Derby.

War Story, owned by Loooch Racing Stables, Glenn Ellis and Christopher Dunn, walked Churchill's shedrow Thursday a day after working five furlongs in 1:02.

"He came out of the work fine and will go back to the track tomorrow to jog," trainer Tom Amoss said about the third-place horse in the Louisiana Derby.