Endorsement records first work since Sunland Derby score

Last updated: 4/9/10 8:01 PM

Endorsement visited the track Friday
(Tommie Morelos/Coady Photography)

ENDORSEMENT (Distorted Humor), who punched his ticket to the May 1
Kentucky Derby (G1) by winning the Sunland Park Derby (G3), had his
first work since that March 28 victory on Friday, breezing a half-mile
on Keeneland’s Polytrack in :46 4/5 under trainer Shannon Ritter.

Keeneland clockers caught Endorsement in fractions of :11 2/5, :23,
:34 3/5 and galloping out five furlongs in 1:00 1/5.

“He did it very easily and galloped out strong,” Ritter said. “The
track is fast this morning after the little bit of rain it got
yesterday.”

Ritter said that Endorsement probably would have his next work in
eight days.

“It will probably be here and then he would go on over to Churchill
Downs,” Ritter explained. “He is just now coming into his own and
getting better and better.”

No trainer has served as the exercise rider of a Kentucky Derby
winner since 1970, when Don Combs got on Dust Commander, who had won the
Blue Grass S. in his previous start. The year before, trainer Johnny
Longdon served as exercise rider for Majestic Prince.

“My dream was to ride in the Kentucky Derby,” said Ritter, a former jockey.
“This would be the next best thing.”