(Trainer Steve Asmussen conditions Long Range Toddy / Photo Courtesy of Keeneland)

Every day, we scour the work tabs at racetracks all over the country.  We are looking for workouts that may be of interest and helpful to you — as both race fans and handicappers.  Some of the horses we will be tracking, you will know.  Some of them, you may not know — as of yet.  We will keep a keen eye and stopwatch to see who may be working well:

  1. Gun It, a 3YO Tapit colt who cost a mere $2.6 million to purchase as a Keeneland September Yearling in 2017, has not run since posting a 12th in the G2 Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 16. But he got his 5th published work since that debacle this morning at Churchill Downs, going an easy half mile in :49.60. That was the 12th fastest time out of 19 to go the distance. In 4 career starts to date, Gun It has a win and a third. Back to the drawing board next out, in all likelihood. Still hoping for good things from this one.
  2. Chocolate Martini, a 4YO filly by Broken Vow and trained by Tom Amoss, worked at Churchill Downs this morning, as well. And, she impressed. She zipped 5 furlongs in :59.40, which was the bullet move out of the first 8 to go that distance. That’s two bullet works in a row for a filly that made her 2019 debut at the Fair Grounds a winning one on Feb. 24. She won the FG Oaks a year ago after breaking her maiden in a claiming event. Looks ready.
  3. Comedian, a 3YO Into Mischief colt trained by Steve Asmussen, may be ready to try Stakes company pretty soon. In 4 lifetime tries, he has a win, 2 seconds and a third. Ran third in an allowance event at Oaklawn Park on March 16 in the last out. Worked 5 furlongs at Oaklawn Park this morning, covering the ground in 1:00.60. That was the 3rd fastest time out of the first 13 to make this distance. Bears watching. Heads up.
  4. Jersey Agenda, a Jersey Town colt trained by Asmussen, is coming off a 5th place finish in a division of the Rebel Stakes last time out. Before that, he was 8th in the G3 Southwest Stakes. An interesting note about this one is that he beat By My Standards by 4 lengths to break his maiden on Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs. Jersey Agenda worked 5 furlongs in a brisk 1:00 flat this morning at Oaklawn Park, which was the bullet move out of 13 to go that far.
  5. Long Range Toddy, a 3YO son of Take Charge Indy and another trained by Asmussen, got in a serious work this morning in preparation for the Arkansas Derby next out. He went 5 furlongs in the same 1:00 flat to tie the roommate for the fastest work of the day in Hot Springs, AR. This one stepped it up big time to beat Improbable in a division of the Rebel Stakes last time out. Looks to be a prime contender for both the Arkansas and the Kentucky Derbies, now.
  6. Midnight Bisou, winner of the G2 Azeri Stakes and the G3 Houston Ladies Classic in her two starts this year, worked for Team Amussen at Oaklawn this morning, as well. The talented 4YO filly by Midnight Lute went 5 furlongs in 1:01 flat. That was the 8th best time out of the 13. Be interesting to see where she spots up next. One of the best in the game today.
  7. Kingly, once considered a Kentucky Derby contender for the Team Baffert connections and a 3YO son of the great Tapit, is coming off a tough second to Anothertwistafate in the El Camino Real Derby. In three lifetime starts, he has a win and two seconds. Worked this morning at Santa Anita, going 5 furlongs from the gate in a handy time of 1:00 flat. That was the bullet move out of 23. Does Baffert take a Derby shot with him still? If so, where? Be sure to stay tuned for more developments on this front.
  8. Dessman, yet another Derby-type horse in the barn of Baffert, worked this morning at Santa Anita, as well. The 3YO son of Union Rags went 6 furlongs in 1:14.80, which was the 2nd fastest tim out of the 5 to go that distance early on. The only horse to go faster was the talented McKinzie. Dessman is coming off a second in an allowance at Oaklawn Park on Rebel Stakes Day. Before that, ran second in the G2 San Vicente to Sparky Ville. Could show up in one of these last major Derby preps yet. Stay tuned on this one, too.
  9. Game Winner, the 2YO Champ and just a nose hair away from still being unbeaten, worked this morning at Santa Anita for Team Baffert. The 3YO colt went 6 furlongs in 1:13.40. That was the bullet move out of the first 9 to go that distance. He looks primed, pumped and ready for the Santa Anita Derby and his last major prep for this year’s Kentucky Derby. Still our #1 pick in “The Pressbox’s KY Derby Rankings.”