Whitham Thoroughbreds' McCraken (Ghostzapper) tuned up for Saturday's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. with a half-mile work in :49.40 (14/34) (video) at Keeneland Sunday. With jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. in the irons, the unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' backtracked alongside a pony to the seven-eighths pole before starting his solo journey. Breaking off at the half-mile pole, he posted fractions of :12.60, :25, :37 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.20 and six furlongs in 1:13.80.
“I thought the work was very good,” trainer Ian Wilkes said. “It was a nice half, and he galloped out strong another quarter and I was pleased with how he did it.”
McCraken opened his sophomore campaign with a victory in the Feb. 11 GIII Sam F. Davis S., but missed an expecting outing in the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby with a minor ankle injury. Sunday's work was the colt's third at Keeneland.
“He is feeling good and his attitude is great,” Wilkes said. “He is enjoying it here. He has gotten bigger and stronger since he has been here and maybe missing that race was a blessing. Things happen for a reason and we will find out in the long run.”
The work capped a whirlwind several hours for Hernandez, who won Saturday's GII Louisiana Derby aboard Girvin (Tale of Ekati) and then drove all night from New Orleans to Keeneland to be aboard McCraken Sunday morning.
“It was worth it,” Hernandez said of the 10-hour ride. “Every rider's dream is to be in the spot I'm in. I'm good friends with both [connections]. I'm happy for [trainer] Joe [Sharp], [his wife] Rosie and [owner] Brad [Grady] to win the Louisiana Derby with Girvin and then I get to come here to work a horse like McCraken.”
Hernandez has been aboard McCraken in each of his four lifetime starts.
“He does everything right on cue now,” Hernandez said of McCraken. “He goes around in perfect :12s and gets faster as he goes. He's an amazing horse. Last year he worked five-eighths before the [GII] Kentucky Jockey Club and just went out there, but now he is focused on the job like he wants to do it. I don't have to force him to do anything.”
Also working at Keeneland Sunday for the Blue Grass, It's Your Nickel (Dialed In) went five furlongs in 1:01.60 (20/35) (video).
“We were just looking for a nice maintenance work, something to keep his feet on the ground for the rest of the week,” Ken McPeek's assistant trainer Alan Shell said. “He finished up well, so we'll just keep an eye on him this week and should be good to go. He looks like he's handling the track well.”
Owned by Harold Lerner, AWC Stables, Scott Akman and Nehoc Stables, It's Your Nickel is coming off a 6 1/2-length victory in the Mar. 4 John Battaglia Memorial S.
Keeneland's Sunday worktab also featured Stonestreet Farm, George Bolton and Peter Leidel's Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy), who went five furlongs over the turf in 1:00.20 (1/4). The 3-year-old filly, winner of last year's G1 Darley Prix Morny and G2 Queen Mary S., is expected to make her 2017 debut in the Apr. 15 Giant's Causeway S. before a second tilt at Royal Ascot in June.
“[The Giant's Causeway] gives us good spacing to go to the [June 20 G1] King's Stand, which is five-eighths at Royal Ascot,” trainer Wesley Ward said.
Stonestreet's Barbara Banke was on hand to watch the work and agreed it was important for American runners to compete in Europe.
“We've got to do that [running American horses overseas] more,” Banke said. “It's important just to show the breadth and speed of American bloodstock and make people want to come over here and buy our yearlings at the Keeneland sale.”
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