KEENELAND McCraken works for Blue Grass, Classic Empire balks

McCraken and Classic Empire, two of the top contenders for the Kentucky Derby on May 6, appear to be moving in different directions as their next scheduled start, the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 8, approaches.

McCraken worked five furlongs at Keeneland on Monday, his second drill since returning to training after minor swelling in a front ankle knocked him out of the Tampa Bay Derby earlier this month.

But Classic Empire, the Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old male of last year, refused to break off for an apparent workout Sunday at Palm Meadows and as of Monday had worked just once, on March 12, since his thirdplace finish in the Holy Bull Stakes on Feb. 4.

Calls placed by Daily Racing Form on Sunday and Monday to Classic Empire’s trainer, Mark Casse, and his son and assistant, Norman, had not been returned as of 1 p.m. Eastern on Monday.

Classic Empire had an abscess in his right front foot coming out of the Holy Bull that prevented him from running in the Fountain of Youth Stakes earlier this month at Gulfstream Park. He was intended to work for the first time since that setback on March 3 but refused and later at the barn showed discomfort in his back, which was addressed by an equine therapist on subsequent days.

He did get in a work on March 12, a half-mile in 48.95 seconds, but that is the only breeze he has had since the Holy Bull.

Classic Empire, by Pioneerof the Nile, won four times in five starts last year, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and was a unanimous choice as champion of his division.

The Holy Bull is his lone start since the Breeders’ Cup.

McCraken also has raced just once this year, but he appears to be progressing well toward the Grade 2 Blue Grass. On Monday, he worked five furlongs in 1:00, his first work since arriving at Keeneland after being based this winter at Palm Meadows.

McCraken worked alone with regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. up. He broke off at the half-mile pole, according to trainer Ian Wilkes, who said he had McCraken galloping out six furlongs in “1:12 and change.”

“You’re good when your horse works good,” a bubbly Wilkes said via telephone from Kentucky. “I’m very pleased, couldn’t be any happier.”

Wilkes usually is based at Churchill Downs when he is in Kentucky but said he went straight to Keeneland with McCraken because “he’s going to run here.”

“I’ll keep him here until the Blue Grass, and then he’ll go to Churchill,” Wilkes said.

McCraken is unbeaten in four starts. He had swelling in an ankle following his first workout Feb. 27 after his victory in the Feb. 11 Sam F. Davis Stakes. But he has now worked twice since then, a half-mile in 50.20 seconds at Palm Meadows on March 11 – just 12 days after the work that briefly sidelined him – preceding Monday’s work.