HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Virginia Derby winner American Promise is scheduled to have one more work at his winter base of Oaklawn Park before shipping to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thursday. American Promise has turned in back-to-back bullet works at Oaklawn since winning the Virginia Derby on March 15. He went five furlongs in 59.40 seconds on Wednesday. “He had a beautiful work this week,” Lukas said. “He’ll get one more here, then we’ll move him. We’ll go to Kentucky.” Lukas said American Promise would have a work at Churchill ahead of the Kentucky Derby. He said Nik Juarez has the mount. Juarez was aboard for the Virginia Derby. :: DRF Road to the Derby Package Available Now! Save 37% on key handicapping essentials through Kentucky Derby Day. American Promise was a 7 3/4-length winner of the race and equaled his best Beyer Speed Figure, a 95. The son of Justify races for BC Stables and is a half-brother to near millionaire Hoosier Philly. American Promise is a late foal, as he was born May 1, 2022. “You know, he’s only 2, so he’s got a little room to move and grow and develop and that’s exactly what he’s doing,” Lukas said. “This last month, I thought he moved forward as well as a horse could do. This next month now, I think we’ll see a change in him. If these horses start to flourish in the spring, it’s really good for what we try to do in the Derby.” Lukas, 89, is a four-time winner of the Kentucky Derby. Lukas is based at Churchill, but winters at Oaklawn. He is in the midst of a strong meet, having won 15 races from 93 starts to rank seventh in the trainer standings through Thursday. He’s also had eight runner-up finishes and 15 third-place finishers and his starters have earned more than $1.5 million. “We’ve had a good meet,” he said. “We’re very satisfied.” Lukas said Caldera, the runner-up in the Sunland Park Derby, will make his next start in the upcoming Bath House Row Stakes at Oaklawn. Lukas said Perfect Force, who was third last out in the Hot Springs Stakes, could run back at the meet. Lukas is sorting through next race options for Just Steel. Lukas has a number of quality 2-year-olds that will soon join his stable in Kentucky. He said he also has some quality older horses returning to training, among them Bourbon Bash, a multiple stakes-placed earner of more than $500,000. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.