(Steve Asmussen sent Combatant out for his last prep for the KY Derby today / Photo Courtesy of Churchill Downs)

Every day, we scour the work tabs at racetracks and training facilities all over North America. We are looking for Thoroughbreds that may be poised for a breakout race in the afternoon. Here is a closer look at some of today’s best works:

  1. Mia d’Oro, a 3YO filly by Medaglia d’Oro trained by Steve Asmussen, worked at the Churchill Downs Training Center in Louisville on Monday. This gal, who cost a robust $450,000 as a 2YO In-Training last year, broke her maiden earlier this year at Oaklawn Park and has since run a third and a fourth in two allowance tries. She covered a half mile this morning in :49.80, which was the bullet move out of 3 to go the distance today over at the Poplar Level Road facility.
  2. Combatant, who is expected to make his next start in the 2018 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, stretched his legs at the Louisville track’s main dirt surface this morning. He covered a half mile in :49.60 for the team of trainer Steve Asmussen and Assistant Scott Blasi. That was the 8th best time out of 19 to go the distance today. Combatant has had a bit of tough luck in the preliminaries this Spring. This son of Scat Daddy ran off a string of three seconds in a row in the Remington Springboard Mile, the Smarty Jones Stakes and the Rebel Stakes before finishing 4th in the G1 Arkansas Derby behind the undefeated Magnum Moon. Don’t be surprised if this guy out-runs his PPs on Saturday.
  3. Mia Mischief, a 3YO daughter of Into Mischief who is trained by Steve Asmussen, trained this morning at Churchill Downs, as well. The filly, who won the Purple Martin Stakes at Oaklawn Park in her last start and now has a record of 3 wins and 3 seconds in 6 lifetime starts, went a half mile in an easy :50.60. That was 13th out of 19 to go that far. Look for this talented runner to show up soon.
  4. Gotta Go, who hasn’t been the same horse since winning the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs last Fall, was back on the track this morning for trainer Ian Wilkes. Gotta Go — who did run a closing second in the G3 Swale Stakes in his 2018 debut, but has since run 6th and 11th, respectively, in the G2 Fountain of Youth and the G2 Blue Grass Stakes — went 5 furlongs in a slick 1:00.60 for trainer Ian Wilkes. That was the bullet work out of 13 to go the distance this morning. Hopefully, he has figured things out and is ready to return to the class form that he demonstrated last year.
  5. Tenfold, a 3YO son of Curlin, gave the Triple Crown Road a run for its money when he was entered in the G1 Arkansas Derby last time out. After back-to-back wins to start his career this year, Tenfold finished a game 5th while tiring late to the undefeated Magnum Moon. Don’t know yet where this one may show up next, but he did go 5 furlongs this morning in a time of 1:01.80. That was 9th best out of 13 to go that far at Churchill Downs.
  6. Emboldened, a 3YO son of Elusive Quality and a runner from the barn of Bob Baffert, worked at Santa Anita today. This guy, who is owned by Godolphin Stables, went a half mile in :49.20. That was 18th best out of 43 to go that far. Emboldened, who a homebred, won on debut back in January, and came back to run a game third in his second start on Feb. 9. He has not been seen in the afternoons since, though. Looks like he may be getting closer to another start.
  7. Mopotism, a 4YO filly by Uncle Mo, worked this morning at “The Great Race Place,” for trainer Doug O’Neill. The G2 winner of the La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita in January has hit the board in four straight Graded Stakes races, all of which are G2 or higher. She went a brilliant 5 furlongs in :59.20 this morning for the bullet work out of 57 to go that far.