Teruya Yoshida's Crown Pride turned in his most impressive work thus far for the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) April 27, firing a bullet half-mile in :46 2/5 over a fast track at Churchill Downs.
Working with the 4-year-old Southern Passage from trainer Dale Romans' barn, Crown Pride produced fractions of :11 3/5 and :23 1/5 and galloped out in 1:00 1/5 and 1:14 4/5.
Watch as #KyDerby contender Crown Pride (JPN) works an impressive half-mile in :46.40 over a fast track. pic.twitter.com/6Ak54RFd1G
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 27, 2022
Regular exercise rider Masa Matsuda was aboard Crown Pride, who has had four works at Churchill Downs since arriving at the Louisville oval March 30 after winning the UAE Derby Sponsored By Mubadala (G2).
Also working Wednesday morning was RED TR-Racing's Rich Strike for trainer Eric Reed. With Gabriel Lagunes aboard, Rich Strike worked five furlongs in :59 3/5. He produced fractions of :11 4/5, :23 2/5, :35, and :47 1/5 and galloped out in 1:12 3/5 and 1:25 4/5.
Third in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) in his most recent start, Rich Strike checks in at number 24 on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard and would need four defections from the anticipated starters to gain a spot in the starting gate for the Run for the Roses.
