© Benoit Photo
The Los Alamitos Futurity (gr. I) winner Mor Spirit, preparing for a start in the May 7th Kentucky Derby (gr. I) at Churchill Downs, took his first major step toward that race when he breezed five furlongs in an easy 1:01.60 on April 21st at Santa Anita.
Working in company with the three-year-old maiden Westfest, Mor Spirit started slowly and about a length behind his workmate, but picked up speed as the work went on and crossed the wire on even terms with Westfest. Mor Spirit then continued on strongly after the wire, going another 3 1/2 furlongs in a solid time, making the workout from start to finish more than a mile in length.
Trained by Bob Baffert, who won the 2015 Kentucky Derby with American Pharoah, Mor Spirit has never finished worse than second in seven races but will enter the Kentucky Derby off two straight defeats, including a runner-up effort in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) on April 9th. Today’s breeze marked his first timed workout since the Santa Anita Derby.
A complete video of the workout can be viewed on the XBTV website.
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