Quartet Tunes Up for Possible Toyota Blue Grass Bids

Four horses expected to be entered on Wednesday for Saturday’s 98^th running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) put in works over a fast Keeneland main track Sunday morning. 

Trainer Mark Casse was represented by the first two Toyota Blue Grass workers of the morning with Volcanic covering the half-mile in :51.40 when the track opened at 5:30 a.m. and Golden Glider following an hour later in :49.40 for the same distance. Jockey Declan Carroll was aboard for both works. 

“I was very pleased with both of them,” said David Carroll, assistant to Casse. “They both got here Friday from Ocala and galloped yesterday. I just wanted to let them get a feel for the track.” 

Both colts have returned to Keeneland, where they trained here last spring before making their racing debuts. 

For Breeze Easy’s Volcanic, Sunday’s work was his fifth since a third-place finish in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 12. Adam Beschizza is scheduled to ride Saturday. 

Conrad Farms’ Golden Glider had his second work since finishing fourth in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on March 12. Clockers caught Golden Glider in fractions of :12.40, :25, :49.40 with an out time for 1:02.40 for five-eighths and 1:16.60 for three-quarters. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the Toyota Blue Grass mount, according to Carroll. 

Next at 7:30 a.m. after the first renovation break was Three Diamonds Farm’s Grantham, who worked a half-mile in company with an unraced 3-year-old in :48.60 for trainer Mike Maker. 

“I thought he worked well,” Maker said of Grantham, who arrived here a couple of days ago from Gulfstream Park. 

Second in the Tampa Bay Derby, Grantham will be ridden in the Toyota Blue Grass by Tyler Gaffalione, Maker said. 

Following the second renovation break at 9 a.m., El Camino Real Derby (L) winner Blackadder worked 5 furlongs in company with the 5-year-old allowance winner Cibolian in 1:02.80 with Adam Beschizza aboard for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. 

The work was the second at Keeneland for Blackadder after being transferred to Brisset. “He did what we wanted, and hopefully it sets him up for Saturday,” said Brisset’s wife, Brooke, who supervised the work. 

Brisset is scheduled to return to Lexington Sunday afternoon following the victory by Yuugiri in Saturday’s Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn Park.