NEWS
American Lion works easy five furlongs before Derby
Posted: Monday, April 26, 2010 1:41 PM
AMERICAN LION
PhotosByZ.com
by Pete Denk and Jeff Lowe
WinStar Farm’s multiple Grade 3 winner American Lion breezed five furlongs in 1:02.60 on Monday in the mud at Churchill Downs.
Jockey David Flores, who will ride American Lion on Saturday, was aboard for the move, which ranked 11th of 26 at the distance.
“It was an easy work. We just let him feel the track, and he was looking around just being himself,” Flores said. “The track is a little slippery right now, but he handled the surface pretty well.”
American Lion raced on a dirt surface for the first time when he won the Illinois Derby (G3) on April 3 at Hawthorne Race Course.
“He handled dirt pretty well in Chicago, so I think he’ll be okay here,” Flores said. “The thing is we don’t know what kind of track we’re gonna get on Saturday.”
WinStar co-owner Bill Casner was not concerned with the time of the workout.
“This horse has been dead-center perfect,” Casner said. “If he had gone a minute flat, I would’ve had some concerns. That’s too fast over this racetrack. We want this horse to relax. That’s the key to this race.
“This horse has gotten on the bit a couple times, and it’s been self-defeating. He’s got to relax the first part. He relaxed there [in the Illinois Derby]. He had blinkers on him one race and that made him a little too sharp. He’s just maturing.”
When blinkers were added for the San Felipe Stakes (G2) on March 13, American Lion was rank and pulling on jockey Julien Leparoux. His fourth-place finish behind Sidney’s Candy was the worst of American Lion’s six-race career.
The Tiznow colt reacted favorably when the blinkers were removed for his next start, the Illinois Derby. With Flores on board for the first time, American Lion settled into a rhythmic stride on the lead and beat Yawanna Twist by 2 ¾ lengths. It was another 11 ¼ lengths back to third-place finisher Backtalk.
“The wind was blowing up there, the flags were popping, there was a lot to get a horse wound up, and he just dropped his head and relaxed,” Casner said. “Flores gets along with him really well.”
Pete Denk is sales editor of Thoroughbred Times
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
