Scat Daddy tops Pletcher work force

Scat Daddy has always been highly regarded by Team Pletcher (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Multiple Grade 1 hero SCAT DADDY (Johannesburg) sizzled five furlongs in :59

2/5 over Keeneland's Polytrack on Sunday, tying for the second best of 28 moves

at the distance. The Todd Pletcher trainee rates as one of the leading

candidates for Saturday's Kentucky Derby (G1).

With retired Hall of Famer Angel Cordero Jr. in the saddle, Scat Daddy was

clocked in splits of :23 2/5 and :47, and he galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.

"He covers a lot of ground, doesn't he," Pletcher said of his long-striding

colt. "That just shows how talented he is. He gets a time like that, and he does

it so effortlessly. Right now he's a happy horse."

The winner of the Champagne S. (G1) and Sanford S. (G2) as a juvenile, Scat

Daddy has maintained his outstanding form this year. In his past two outings,

the dark bay colt has captured the Fountain of Youth S. (G2) and Florida Derby

(G1). He will try to emulate last year's Derby romper Barbaro by winning the Run

for the Roses off a five-week layoff. Edgar Prado will be back aboard.

Circular Quay taking in the view at Keeneland (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Also at Keeneland, Grade 1 victor CIRCULAR QUAY (Thunder Gulch) completed his

five-eighths trial in 1:00 1/5 beneath Cordero. As has become customary,

Circular Quay worked in company with likely Kentucky Oaks (G1) favorite Rags to

Riches (A.P. Indy), who posted the same time.

The pair matched strides through an opening quarter in :24 3/5, with the

larger filly on the inside. The clockers missed the half-mile split along the

way, but they did get the dynamic duo galloping out six furlongs in 1:12, still

side by side.

"That's the best work (Circular Quay) has had since he's been here,"

Pletcher enthused. "Each work he's done has been progressively better. He works

well with her. I'm pleased with how good a work it was for him."

Successful in slashing style in the Hopeful S. (G1) and Bashford Manor S.

(G3) last year, the diminutive chestnut has raced just twice as a sophomore,

both times at Fair Grounds. After showing his athleticism to avoid a fallen

rider in the Risen Star S. (G3), and then re-gathering himself to finish an

amazing fifth, Circular Quay circled the field to win the Louisiana Derby (G2)

going away by 2 1/4 lengths. He will try to buck an historical trend at

Churchill Downs, as he will enter the Derby off an eight-week layoff. John

Velazquez has opted to stick with him.

Cordero also piloted ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (Distorted Humor), who was credited

with the identical time of 1:00 1/5 for the five-furlong distance on the same

surface, although Pletcher caught him in 1:01. Without the reinsman ever moving

his hands to ask him for effort, the colt exercised in splits of :24 3/5 and

:49, ultimately galloping out six panels in 1:14.

"He (Cordero) nailed it," Pletcher said. "I wanted 1:01 today with this horse

and he got it. Just what I was after following that stiff work he had last week

(:58 4/5 on April 22). He (Cordero) is amazing. He's been doing it right with

all these horses all winter. He can still do it after all these years. That

clock in his head is still working. And he's no chick in the spring."

Dominican taking a quiet moment with trainer Darrin Miller (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Blue Grass S. (G1) king DOMINICAN (El Corredor) smoked five-eighths in a

bullet :59 2/5, fastest of 26 works at the distance. Exercise rider Willie

Herrera was astride as the chestnut galloped out six furlongs in a sharp 1:11

3/5.

Dominican worked in company with the maiden Avenstoke (Street Cry [Ire]), who

couldn't keep up in the final furlong while clocking 1:00 3/5 beneath trainer

Darrin Miller.

"Just fantastic," Miller beamed. "It was exactly what we wanted. He

(Dominican) was strong throughout. Avenstoke did his job. He's a maiden, but he

hung tough with Dominican to about the eighth pole after keeping a good, honest

pace most of the work. Dominican drew away at the end, and he was just bouncing

when he pulled up."

Dominican closed brilliantly to nip Street Sense on the line in the Keeneland

showpiece last time out. In his only prior sophomore outing, the chestnut

gelding decimated his opponents by five lengths in the Rushaway S. at Turfway

Park. Dominican has yet to win on the conventional dirt, with each of his three

victories coming on Polytrack. He turned in a pair of creditable efforts on dirt

as a juvenile, however, finishing third in the Kentucky Jockey Club and fourth

in the sloppy Arlington-Washington Breeders' Cup Futurity (G3) while still a

maiden.

Teuflesberg is still not certain to get into the Derby (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Also at Churchill, multiple stakes winner TEUFLESBERG (Johannesburg) traveled

five furlongs in 1:00 4/5. Trainer and co-owner Jamie Sanders was aboard for the

move, which took place after the renovation break.

"As soon as I stood up at the wire, he pricked his ears and tried to run off

with me," Sanders said. "He felt great. I think it might be the best he has ever

worked coming up to a big race."

Sanders scratched the colt from Saturday's Derby Trial S. in hopes that he

would be able to draw into the Derby field. The heavily-raced bay, who already

has 15 career starts under his belt, is on the verge of getting into the gate,

but he will likely remain on the bubble until entries are taken Wednesday.

Sanders revealed that, as a back-up plan, she would probably supplement

Teuflesberg to Friday's American Turf S. (G3) and possibly enter him versus

older horses in Saturday's Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. (G1).

"All we can do is wait, watch and pray," she said. "Maybe somebody will have

pity on us and let us in."

Teuflesberg garnered the Sugar Bowl S. at Fair Grounds in his 2006 finale and

the Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park in his second sophomore appearance. The bay has

chased some of the best members of his generation in graded stakes events, and

he is exiting a close fourth in the Blue Grass, yielding late after setting a

slow pace.

Three top contenders turned their last major pre-Derby moves on opposite

coasts.

Tiago has the same connections as his Derby-winning half-brother Giacomo (Alex Evers/Horsephotos.com)

Runner-up to Scat Daddy in the Champagne, the handsome bay concluded his

juvenile campaign with a powerful 6 1/2-length victory in the Remsen S. (G2).

Nobiz Like Shobiz picked up right where he left off with a straightforward score

in the Holy Bull in February, but his tendency to lug in contributed to his loss

to Scat Daddy in the Fountain of Youth. Sporting first-time blinkers in the

Wood, he maintained a straight course en route to a half-length victory.

On the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita Derby winner TIAGO

(Pleasant Tap) ripped six furlongs in a bullet 1:11 2/5, the fastest of 27 works

at the trip. With jockey Mike Smith in the saddle, he worked in company

with maiden filly Gem Palace (Elusive Quality) and blew past her.

"He went dynamite," Smith said. "He's grown up a lot, a whole lot. I

like his confidence level now."

"I'm very pleased with it," conditioner John Shirreffs said. "I told Mike

that we wanted something good and he got it. Mike was very pleased with it

also."

Stormello will try to earn his first win of the year in the Derby (Alex Evers/Horsephotos.com)

Also at Hollywood, Grade 1 victor STORMELLO (Stormy Atlantic) negotiated

five-eighths in 1:00 4/5 with jockey Kent Desormeaux in the saddle.

"The most perfect work he's ever had," trainer and co-owner Bill Currin

raved. "Kent got off the horse all bubbling over, really pumped up. There were

some media people watching the work and Kent told them, 'He will win the

Kentucky Derby.'"

Currin explained that the work was designed to teach Stormello to rate behind

horses before making his move.

"I wanted to slow him down a little because I didn't want him working :57 and

change, like he's done before," Currin said. "Kent handled it perfectly. He was

four or five lengths behind his workmate (the maiden Eyesalrite [Anees]) and on

the inside for a quarter. Then Kent moved him to the outside, and Stormello took

off and kept going well past the wire. I got him the final eighth in :11 flat.

Eyesalrite (who finished in 1:02) is a nice horse, but he's no Stormello."

Zanjero is still looking for his first stakes win (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

The Mark Shuman trainee, who is coming off a facile victory in the Federico

Tesio S. at Pimlico, could await the May 19 Preakness S. (G1). Alternatively,

Xchanger's owners are entertaining last-minute offers from prospective buyers

with "Derby Fever."

Monday is shaping up to be another busy workday. Trainer Steve Asmussen plans

to send out undefeated Arkansas Derby (G2) hero CURLIN (Smart Strike), Blue

Grass S. (G1) third ZANJERO (Cherokee Run) and Illinois Derby (G2) runner-up

REPORTING FOR DUTY (Deputy Commander), but the latter needs several defections

to make it into the Derby field. Others scheduled to work include Lane's End S.

(G2) romper HARD SPUN (Danzig) and El Camino Real Derby (G3) winner BWANA BULL

(Holy Bull).

Street Sense is likely to work Tuesday with jockey Calvin Borel.