Soldat drills bullet at Palm Meadows

Grade 2 Fountain of Youth hero Soldat continued

preparations for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in two weeks by drilling five

furlongs in :59 over the fast dirt at Palm Meadows Training Center on

Thursday.

"He went very well, looked great," said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin,

who watched his pupil gallop out six furlongs in 1:12 3/5. "He's always

worked well down here and that's why we went back to the dirt (after

finishing second in the November 6 Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf).

He's been working well since December and January."

McLaughlin said Soldat, who finished fifth in the April 3 Grade 1 Florida

Derby, will likely work again next Friday before he ships to

Churchill Downs for the Derby.

"We will probably work him next week," he said. "Originally, we were

going to work him three times (leading up to the Kentucky Derby), but we

realized, 'How much do you have to do?' He's fit and he hasn't missed a

day of training since December."

Asked if Thursday's work bolstered his confidence in Soldat after his

performance in the Florida Derby, McLaughlin said, "I still have

confidence. He just had a tough trip (in the Florida Derby). I didn't

like his trip. It was unfortunate, but (Churchill) is a totally

different track so it won't happen again."