Colonel John tunes up for Derby run

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Colonel John ran the fastest 5 furlongs Sunday in his last major workout before the 134th Kentucky Derby, when the California colt will race on dirt for the first time.

Colonel John completed 5 furlongs in 57.80 seconds, quickest of 62 workouts at the distance, on a sunny, breezy morning under the Twin Spires without any urging from exercise rider Karine Lhuillier.

“It wasn’t my intention to go that fast, but it wasn’t my intention the track was going to be this fast,” trainer Eoin Harty said. “I think it’s more the track conditions than my horse doing a little too much.”

The big question at the start of Derby week was how Colonel John would handle a dirt surface because he has raced and trained almost exclusively on the newer synthetic surfaces in California since beginning his career at Del Mar last summer.

“I thought he handled it very well. It looks like he hasn’t changed his style or his motion,” Harty said, pointing out that Colonel John trained on dirt as a 2-year-old before coming to his stable.

Harty originally scheduled Colonel John’s workout for today, but the forecast calls for rain so he moved it up.

Also going ahead of schedule were trainer Bill Mott’s duo of Court Vision and Z Humor. Both went 5 furlongs, with Court Vision timed in 1:00.80 and Z Humor in 1:01.20.

Colonel John likely will be the second favorite behind Big Brown when post positions are drawn Wednesday for Saturday’s 1 1/4 -mile Derby. The Santa Anita Derby winner has won 4 of 6 career starts and wasn’t worse than second in his two losses.

Big Brown galloped once around the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and was scheduled to arrive in Louisville this evening. He will work out Thursday.

Sunday’s second-fastest workout was turned in by Eight Belles, who covered the same distance in 58.20. Trainer Larry Jones said he’s pointing the gray filly, on a four-race winning streak, toward a start against the boys in the Derby.