JC / Railbird

Horses Archive

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.

Posted in Horses on July 9, 2007

Asmussen Goes for Double

Trainer Steve Asmussen will send out the likely favorites in both the Debutante Stakes and the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs this afternoon (Courier-Journal). In the filly stakes, he’ll be represented by Wonderful Luck and Rated Fiesty, who looms over the rest of the field with a 102 Beyer earned in the G3 Kentucky Breeders’ Cup, the race favored Ready’s Image finished third in before winning the 5 1/2 furlong Tremont at Belmont last week by 7 3/4 lengths in 1:02.86, getting a 99 Beyer. In the more competitive Bashford, Asmussen will send out three, including Kodiak Kowboy, winner of an ungraded stakes at Woodbine and son of first crop sire Posse, 9-for-17 with his offspring so far this year. Also entered is the improving Blackberry Road, a Gone West colt out of Strawberry Reason, dam of 2002 champion juvenile Vindication, and the Todd Pletcher-trained Motovato, adding Lasix for the first time.

Posted in Horses on July 7, 2007

No Phantom

Impressive romp by the Rick Violette-trained Phantom Income in Belmont’s second today. Making her debut, the two-year-old filly finished the 5 1/2 furlong maiden special in 1:03.79 under a handride and more than 10 lengths ahead of place horse Shining Sea, paying $11.60 to win. Todd Pletcher’s firster, Crosswater, bet down to an absurdly low 3-4, finished third. Phantom Income, out of Catch the Ghost, a half-sister to 2004 champion Ghostzapper, is a daughter of Montbrook, who’s 12% with debut winners and 5-for-11 with his two-year-olds to race so far this year.

Posted in Horses on July 6, 2007