Frank Fletcher Racing Operation’s Rocket Can (Into Mischief) turned in his penultimate workout ahead of the May 6 GI Kentucky Derby with a five-furlong drill in 1:01.00 (11/41) at Churchill Downs Sunday. The gray colt, who broke off six lengths behind stablemate Game Warden (Tapit), completed early fractions of :12.20 and :36.60 with regular exercise rider Guelser Cardona in the saddle. He finished even with his stablemate at the wire and galloped out several lengths in front through six furlongs in 1:14.20.
“It was a nice, steady work,” trainer Bill Mott said. “He worked fast last week and I was just looking for a good, steady work this week. He galloped out well and stayed within himself.”
In his first work of the spring at Churchill Downs, Rocket Can went four furlongs in :46.60 (1/34) Apr. 13.
Rocket Can won the Feb. 4 GIII Holy Bull S. and was second behind Forte (Violence) in the Mar. 4 GII Fountain of Youth S. He comes into the Derby off a fourth-place finish in the Apr. 1 GI Arkansas Derby.
“It maybe was a little bit of a wide trip in the Arkansas Derby,” Mott said. “The one thing that race told me is he still has more to give in the tank. I don’t think he’s quite learned to give it his all. That’s what you get this time of year with 3-year-olds, but they can improve quickly. He’s got a lot of route pedigree on his bottom side [with his dam] being by Tapit. We added blinkers in today’s work and will for the race. Hopefully, that will help him go past horses when he runs up beside them.”
Albaugh Family Stable and Castleton Lyons’ GI Florida Derby third-place finisher Cyclone Mischief (Into Mischief) completed five furlongs in 1:01 flat (11/41) with exercise rider Tammy Fox in the saddle. Cyclone Mischief needs three defections to make the Derby field.
“I hope we can get him in the Derby,” trainer Dale Romans said. “I thought he worked great this morning.”
Cyclone Mischief completed fractions of :12.20, :24.20 and :36.20. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.
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