Top 3YOs Work
Prepping for the August 5 Haskell, Preakness winner Curlin worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 at Churchill Downs this morning in company with stablemate Tiz Wonderful (Blood-Horse). Curlin will ship to Saratoga on Thursday, enjoy the Spa for a couple of weeks, then head to Monmouth.
Hard Spun, another likely Haskell contender, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 at Delaware Park, also in company, with an unnamed filly stablemate. When the son of Danzig starts next, he’ll have rider Mario Pino, dumped for Garret Gomez in the Belmont, back aboard. “I had a discussion with Mr. Porter and he said it’s OK with him to have Mario back on the horse,” said trainer Larry Jones. “So, I have given Mr. Pino certain dates to keep open. I feel good about this decision. It keeps everything on our team. Mario is part of our team and it’s good to have him back” (News Journal).
On Sunday, Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense took to the Churchill track, working five furlongs in 1:00.40 with regular rider Calvin Borel up, and Belmont winner Rags to Riches did an easy five furlongs in 1:04.20 at Belmont. It was a slow work, but trainer Todd Pletcher was unconcerned. “It was very good,” Pletcher said. “It was almost identical to what she did before the Belmont. She was nice and relaxed and galloped out real strong” (DRF). Rags to Riches will start next in the July 21 Coaching Club American Oaks; 23 fillies have been nominated to the race, six by Pletcher. “I don’t mind a walkover, but I nominated enough horses to ensure they’d use the race,” said the supertrainer.
