Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Wealthy Strike returned to the work tab Could 21 at Churchill Downs, clocking 4 furlongs in a swift :47 1/5 in his first transfer since his 80-1 upset victory within the first leg of the Triple Crown.
Eric Reed trains the son of Eager Ice , who bypassed Saturday’s Preakness Stakes (G1) and is aimed for the June 11 Belmont Stakes Offered by NYRA Bets (G1) at Belmont Park for proprietor Rick Dawson’s RED-TR Racing.
Wealthy Strike breezed with train rider Gabe Lagunes within the saddle by a gap quarter-mile fraction of :22 4/5 and galloped out to 5 furlongs in 1:00 3/5.
Kentucky Derby winner Wealthy Strike 4F :47.20. pic.twitter.com/I4glPEFV9M
— Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) May 21, 2022
“Skipping the Preakness was nonetheless one of many hardest selections I needed to make as a coach,” stated Reed, who stood alongside proprietor Dawson for the work. “I simply do not assume he would’ve been mentally able to run in opposition to these horses once more.”
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Reed initially reported Wealthy Strike would van to Belmont subsequent week, however he’ll now preserve the Derby winner in Barn 17 at Churchill till Could 31. Wealthy Strike is tentatively scheduled to work once more Could 30.
“He does so nicely right here I simply did not wish to change something but,” Reed stated. “He’ll get eight or 9 days at Belmont to gallop and get used to the floor.”
Jockey Sonny Leon, who rode Wealthy Strike to victory within the Derby, may have the return name within the Belmont.
Additionally working Saturday at Churchill was WSS Racing’s Barber Highway , the sixth-place finisher within the Derby, who coated a half-mile in :48 3/5. Coach John Ortiz stated following the Derby that the Belmont Stakes was on the radar for the late-running Race Day colt.