On the Kentucky Derby worktab

Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) winner ANAK NAKAL (Victory Gallop) drilled four

furlongs in :46 3/5 on a fast track at Churchill Downs on Friday in his final

major workout prior to running in the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 3.

The work, under Megan Smillie, was the second fastest of 26 at the distance.

"It was a good work, he likes this track," trainer Nick Zito said. "I was

surprised he worked that fast, but he just likes Churchill Downs. He won the

Kentucky Jockey Club here last fall. That's probably why he worked so good. It

is always a good sign when they like the track. He's got a chance."

The work was marred when Anak Nakal's workmate, Aquarian (Fusaichi Pegasus),

broke down after the work. The bay three-year-old was timed in :48.

"(Exercise rider) Heather (Stark) felt something at the clocker's stand and

pulled him up right away," Zito said. "He took a bad step. He has a condylar

fracture in the right front and he went straight to Rood & Riddle (Equine

Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky). Hopefully he will be all right. As long as it

is not life threatening, he'll be back."

Aquarian broke his maiden at Churchill Downs last fall, one race after Anak

Nakal won the Kentucky Jockey Club. Zito had been planning to run him in an

allowance race on Derby Day.

Zito's other Kentucky Derby prospect, Fountain of Youth S. (G2) winner

COOL COAL MAN (Mineshaft), walked the shedrow, one day after working a

half-mile in :47 2/5.

Rafael Bejarano will ride Anak Nakal in the Derby; Julien Leparoux has the

call on Cool Coal Man.

Trainer Louie Roussel III called an audible and worked Illinois Derby (G2) winner

RECAPTURETHEGLORY (Cherokee Run)

five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 under Derby rider E.T. Baird. The move ranked ninth

out of 27 at the distance.

Recapturetheglory will try to land the prize that eluded Risen Star, who raced for the same connections (Ed Van Meter/Horsephotos.com) The bay colt was timed in fractions of :12 1/5, :24 2/5, :35 4/5 and :48 2/5 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15. "I thought it was going to rain late Thursday and all day today, but since it did not, we went and it worked out real good," said Roussel, who owns the colt in partnership with Ronnie Lamarque. Roussel said Recapturetheglory would get two days off and return to the track Monday. "If I don't give him two days off, he'll break curfew on me and won't be here," Roussel said with a laugh. Roussel is back in a familiar spot with Recapturetheglory: Barn 41, Stall 17. It was the same spot Risen Star was housed 20 years ago when that colt ran third behind Winning Colors in the Kentucky Derby before going on to take the Preakness S. (G1) and Belmont S. (G1).

In other Kentucky Derby news:

Grade 2 winner SALUTE THE SARGE (Forest Wildcat), who has enough earnings to

qualify for the Kentucky Derby, will be pointed elsewhere according to trainer Eric Guillot. Salute the Sarge ran seventh in the Lexington S. (G2) at Keeneland last

Saturday.

"If he can't get a mile and a sixteenth, I don't think I can see him in the

Triple Crown," Guillot said on Friday.

Salute the Sarge is expected to start next in the May 18 Laz Barrera Memorial

S. (G3) at Hollywood Park.

The fillies EIGHT BELLES (Unbridled's Song) and PROUD SPELL

(Proud Citizen) had an "uneventful" van ride from Keeneland to Churchill Downs

on Friday, according to trainer Larry Jones, and both are expected to put in

works on Sunday following the break for track maintenance. Gabriel Saez will be

in the saddle for both moves.

"We'll work just as fast as we can make a turnaround," Jones said. "We'll

send one first after the break, the other one will go one and a half after the

break."

Though both remain under consideration for the Derby, Jones said owner

Brereton Jones is "95 percent" committed to running Proud Spell, the Fair

Grounds Oaks (G2) winner, in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The plan remains to enter

Eight Belles, who last won the Fantasy S. (G2), in both the Oaks and Derby. She

would run in the Oaks if she were to end up with an unfavorable post position in

the Derby.

"The only thing I guess right now that would keep her out of the Derby would

strictly just be a miserable post," Jones said. "As I told (owner) Rick

(Porter), Wednesday morning we'll have a real good idea of whether we're going

from the standpoint if we draw (a post draw selection order) of 10 or 12 on

down, we're going to get a decent enough hole that we can go.

"We're going to know pretty quick which way we're going to go. It's not going

to be a Saturday morning scratch."