Belmont Park notes: Alpha, Questing get in works at Saratoga

Tom Keyser

Questing, winner of the Alabama, is scheduled for the $1 million Cotillion at Parx on Sept 22.

At Saratoga Friday morning, Godolphin Racing’s Grade 1 winners Alpha and Questing each put in workouts over the synthetic surface at the Godolphin – formerly Greentree – training center.

Alpha, the Jim Dandy and Travers winner, went four furlongs in 48.80 seconds, according to Neal McLaughlin, brother of and assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Questing, winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama, went the same distance in 50 seconds. Alpha is pointing to the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, while Questing will run in the $1 million Cotillion. Both races are at Parx on Sept. 22.

Neal McLaughlin said that Alpha worked right-handed, which meant he broke off at the five-furlong pole and finished the work at the eighth pole.

“Just to freshen him up and do something different,” McLaughlin said. “Before the Jim Dandy the horse did very well when we went to the main track and did something different. Sometimes horses get a little bored in their routine, so we throw in something new and give them a different challenge.”

Neal McLaughlin said Questing worked left-handed after having previously trained right-handed.

McLaughlin said both horses appear to be doing very well.

It’s Tricky, an unlucky third in the Personal Ensign, was scheduled to have her first breeze since that race on Saturday in Saratoga. She is being pointed to the Grade 1 Beldame here on Sept. 29.

Meanwhile, Kiaran McLaughlin said that he is leaning toward suggesting to Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford that Emcee, winner of the Grade 1 Forego, simply train up to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Fortify, second to Shanghai Bobby in the Hopeful, is being pointed for a rematch with that horse in the Champagne.

Carried Interest back on tab

Carried Interest, the impressive debut winning 2-year-old who missed the Saratoga Special because of a sore shin, worked four furlongs in 48.01 seconds Friday morning at Aqueduct. It was his first work since July 31.

“He worked great, it was a feet-on-the-dashboard sort of thing,” said trainer Rick Violette, referring to how the exercise rider had to keep the colt from going faster. “He came back great. We’ll see how that shin is in a couple of days but I think we’re okay.”

Carried Interest is being pointed to the Grade 2 Futurity on Sept. 30 and may have time to get in three more works. On July 5 at Belmont, Carried Interest won his debut by one-half length over next-out winner Palace Malice and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.