Belmont Park: A healthy Jersey Town works for Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

Barbara D. Livingston

Jersey Town is healthy now after being plagued with foot problems.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Jersey Town, upset winner of the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap here Sept. 29, began preparations for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile by working a half-mile in 50.52 seconds Thursday morning over Belmont Park’s main track.

With exercise rider Simon Harris in the irons, Jersey Town went his first quarter in 25.83 and his second quarter in 24.69.

“That’s all I wanted,” said trainer Barclay Tagg, who watched the breeze atop his stable pony positioned at the wire. “He came out of the race really good, better than he went into it.”

Jersey Town, whose win in the Kelso was his first since taking the Grade 1 Cigar Mile in 2010, has been plagued with foot problems throughout his career. However, Tagg said Thursday that the horse’s feet appear to be in good shape at the moment.

“Knock on wood, his quarter cracks haven’t started up,” Tagg said.

Tagg said he hopes to get three more works into Jersey Town at Belmont before shipping him to Southern California on Oct. 30.