Golden Soul drills six furlongs, hopes to make Derby field

Kentucky Derby hopeful Golden Soul, ranked 23rd on the leaderboard, continued

his preparations for a potential start in the Run for the Roses with a

six-furlong breeze Thursday morning at Churchill Downs in 1:12 2/5.

Working under exercise rider Emerson Chavez, Golden Soul worked to the

seven-eighths pole and recorded fractions of :12, :23 2/5, :35, :46 4/5 and :59

and galloped out seven furlongs in 1:27 2/5 on the fast main track.

"He worked great and he's a very good work horse," trainer Dallas

Stewart said. "He came back great and had good energy while he cooled out. He

did it very well."

It was the first published workout for Golden Soul since he finished fourth

in the March 30 Louisiana Derby. His three-year-old campaign also has included a

sixth in the Risen Star and a runner-up effort in the Lecomte. With 14 points,

Golden Soul is currently on the outside looking in, but Stewart is hopeful he

will still make it in the Kentucky Derby starting gate.

"He got beat four lengths to Revolutionary (in the Louisiana Derby), who is a

very good horse," Stewart said. "We were wide, but we were still running at him

a little at the end. I think we're very credible.

"You've got to roll with the punches, but we're hoping it shakes down our

way."

Stewart added that if Golden Soul doesn't get the opportunity to run in the

Kentucky Derby, he would consider running him in the Peter Pan at Belmont on May

11 or the Preakness on May 18.

In other Kentucky Derby news, Arkansas Derby runner-up Frac Daddy (15th on

the leaderboard) galloped 1 1/4 miles under Victor Lebron on his first day back

at the track since arriving in Louisville, Kentucky, from Oaklawn Park on

Wednesday morning. 

"He galloped well and we took it light on him today on his first day at the

track since shipping," assistant trainer Phil Bauer said. "We're happy with how

he shipped and how he's doing. Hopefully he'll improve a little bit in the next

couple weeks and we'll be set to go."

Frac Daddy, who is stabled in Barn 6 for trainer Ken McPeek, was joined

Thursday at Churchill Downs by Blue Grass winner Java's War (fourth on the

leaderboard), who passed through the stable gate at 1:40 p.m. (EDT).

In Kentucky Oaks news, trainer John Terranova confirmed via text Thursday

morning that Fantasy runner-up Manuka Honey is no longer under consideration for

the Kentucky Oaks. He added that a firm decision on whether to run Falling

Sky (19th on the leaderboard) in the Kentucky Derby will come by Sunday.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said that his Oaks quartet -- Unlimited Budget (third

on the leaderboard); Dreaming of Julia (ranked fourth), Princess of

Sylmar (seventh) and Silsita (10th) are scheduled to breeze Saturday at

Churchill Downs. The four fillies will breeze during the 15-minute period from

8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. when the track is reserved for Kentucky Derby and

Kentucky Oaks contenders.

Due to the special training window that begins Saturday and runs through May

2, the track will be open for training at 5:45 a.m.

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