Trainer Ian Wilkes was asked April 24 if what he saw from his charge McCraken, who had just worked over the Churchill Downs strip, reminded him of a certain old protege prior to their classic triumph 10 years ago.
To his credit, Wilkes wouldn't bite on the temptation to invoke the name of 2007 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Street Sense in regards to Janis Whitham's homebred. Instead, he is banking on the son of Ghostzapper eliciting a more proper comparison come May 6.
Whether McCraken becomes the latest Derby winner to come out of Churchill's barn 26 remains to be seen, but the bay colt put in five-furlong drill in 1:00 3/5 Monday that was nearly as buzz worthy as Street Sense's famed final move before his triumph on the first Saturday in May.
Working in company with stablemate McCormick in his second timed outing since running third in the April 8 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2), McCraken left both Wilkes and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. beaming as he broke off about six lengths back, then went about uncorking a turn of foot that was similiar to what Street Sense delivered under the guidance of Wilkes' old boss, Hall of Fame trainer Carl Nafzger.
McCraken rattled off splits of :12, :24 3/5, and :36 2/5, but the most visually stunning portion of his move came at the finish. The multiple graded stakes winner dusted his stablemate with a monster gallop out in 1:13 and 1:26 flat, continuing down the back stretch like a horse who is done playing catch-up in terms of fitness.
"We've still got another work yet," Wilkes quipped when asked if McCraken's work compared to Street Sense's final pre-Kentucky Derby five-furlong drill in :59. "But you want to see that gallop out. He went 1:00 3/5 and then he still galloped out strong. If he didn't gallop out good then wow, I'm behind. I think it tells you a lot about the work.
"You can work in :59, work in 1:00 and then not gallop out good and they've only just done what they wanted. It just shows you he had a little more left there. He doesn't get tired, this horse."
Getting McCraken's fitness on point has been the main goal for Wilkes given the colt has only had two starts since winning the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill last Nov. 26. After capturing the Feb. 11 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) in his seasonal bow, the Blue Grass represented McCraken's first loss in five career starts.
Hernandez equated that outing to his mount getting "punched in the mouth" after having things go
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Hi guys! Short time lurker, long time horse racing fan here.
I have always struggled with understanding what "fast" or "slow" fractions for a US thoroughbred race are. How can you tell? Is there a baseline? Obviously, sprint races are going to have faster fractions than distance races but won't the caliber of the race matter too? Won't a G1 1 1/8 mile race have faster fractions than a claiming race going 1 1/8 miles? I'm just confused and would appreciate any insight into the matter. Thanks!
While the triple crown of motorsport, worldwide is the Indianapolis 500, 24 of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix (or F1 Championship), what do you think the triple crown is for the United States? I polled some people via Instagram earlier this year, and most concluded to Indy 500, Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.
Only two drivers have done this -- Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt. Jamie McMurray, Scott Dixon, Jeff Gordon are the only modern drivers to win 2/3 of these races. Could Dixon win the Daytona 500, and do you think at their ages that McMurray and Gordon would even attempt an Indy 500?
Do you guys agree with this? Who do you think can win the "triple crown" next?
