There is little question now whether COLONEL JOHN is going to be able to handle the Churchill Downs surface.
Colonel John worked 5/8 in :57.80 today. If you’d like to see the work, you can find it here.
The highly anticipated work is now out of the way and his connections can concentrate on getting through the week.
Colonel John also received a boost from Larry Jones today, who announced that PROUD SPELL will forego the Kentucky Derby in favor of a start in the Kentucky Oaks. This opens a spot for BOB BLACK JACK, who will work tomorrow at Churchill Downs.
With the loss of WAR PASS due to injury, RECAPTURETHEGLORY and COWBOY CAL once appeared to be the only horses standing in the way of BIG BROWN getting to the lead. An argument might have been made that Big Brown was talented enough to get over those two without too much effort, which would have made for a much easier trip.
However, now that Bob Black Jack looks to be headed into the field, that scenario all but disappears, and thus sets an even better scenario for the budding rock star who worked today.
With the vast majority of the media handicappers putting Colonel John on top of their contender lists, and now with the important Churchill Downs work out of the way, I would not be surprised to see Colonel John go to the post as the favorite. I still think Big Brown is set as the morning-line favorite, but I’m no longer sure he holds that spot.
Either way, I doubt there will be much separation between the two as far as odds are concerned. One thing is for sure, we’ll know Wednesday afternoon after the post-position draw has been finalized.
Tags: Big Brown, Colonel John, Cowboy Cal, Horse Racing Handicapping, Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, Larry Jones, Proud Spell, Recapturetheglory, War Pass
