Creative Cause turned a five furlong work at Hollywood Park ahead of the Kentucky Derby
Mike Harrington trained, Creative Cause, after his second place finish to I’ll Have Another in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby has been a little quiet lately, but the 3-year-old colt inched closer to a start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in his recent work
at Hollywood Park on 17 April, 2012.
Heinz Steinmann’s Creative Cause went without blinkers for the first time in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, and somewhat did well with the change.
The Kentucky bred son of Giant’s Causeway in his 17 April work went out on the track with blinkers on which did offer a small amount of restricted vision, as he turned in five furlongs in 1 minute and 1.20 seconds.
“The track might be a little bit slow today,” trainer Mike Harrington said. “He didn’t need to do any more than he did.”
Out of mare Dream of Summer by Siberian Summer, Creative Cause started his 2012 campaign with a third place finish in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park, going seven furlongs to winner Drill.
Staying at Santa Anita, Creative Cause was successful in his second start of the new campaign as he downed the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes after being stretched out in distance to 1 1/16 miles.
He defeated the likes of Bodemeister in second, who eventually went on to win the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby by a massive margin of nine and a half lengths, and Midnight Transfer in third place, with the winning time of 1 minute and 41.84 seconds.
He was nosed out by I’ll Have Another in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, his last Kentucky Derby prep race at about 1 1/8 miles on 7 April, 2012, at Santa Anita Park.
Harrington, who thinks of the 2012 Kentucky Derby as an open race will work his colt once more at Hollywood Park, and at Churchill Downs on 1 May ahead of the race on 5 May.
“I think you could flip-flop the top five,” he said. “I think any of the top 10 can win it. I think it’s going to be one of the better Derbys in a while. I think this is a contentious crop of 3-year-olds.”
Tags: