Toyota blue grass winner Zandon tunes up for Kentucky Derby with Keeneland work

Jeff Drown’s Zandon, winner of Keeneland’s $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) on April 9, worked 4 furlongs in :48.60 Saturday morning over a fast track for trainer Chad Brown in his penultimate tune-up for the Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve. The colt is second on the Derby leaderboard with 114 points and is guaranteed a spot in the starting gate for the May 7, $3 million race at Churchill Downs.

The son of Upstart, a graduate of Keeneland’s 2020 September Yearling Sale, is scheduled to ship to Churchill Sunday morning and have his final workout there on Saturday, April 30.

With exercise rider Kriss Bon aboard today, Zandon clocked splits of :12.80, :25.20, and :37 as Brown and jockey Flavien Prat watched from the Grandstand. The colt galloped out in 1:00.80, 1:13.80 and 1:27.60. (Click here for a video of the work.)

“He was moving super; just what we wanted to see,” Brown said. “We just wanted to maintain where he is. He does not have to get any fitter. I was impressed with how he galloped out.”

Last October at Belmont Park, Zandon opened his career with a 1½-length triumph after lagging behind in the early part of a 6-furlong maiden special weight race. Two months later at Aqueduct, he battled through the stretch with Kentucky Derby contender Mo Donegal and was beaten a nose in the Remsen (G2). In his next start before the Toyota Blue Grass, Zandon was third behind Kentucky Derby hopefuls Epicenter and Smile Happy in the Risen Star (G2) Presented by Lamarque Ford at Fair Grounds on Feb. 19. 

The 2-1 second choice in the Toyota Blue Grass, Zandon came from behind to catch favored Smile Happy in the closing yards to win by 2½ lengths.  

“He has had a small number of races but those races were very meaningful,” Brown said. “We quite liked him by the time he debuted (but) I was surprised he won sprinting. When he won, he really picked my head up. (That is when) I thought he had way above average potential. Then he showed a lot in the Remsen going 1 1/8 miles. He has a lot of good experience in a small number of races.”