Ain't Life Grand, Tyler's Tribe gearing up for returns

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Ain’t Life Grand and Tyler’s Tribe are both set to return from layoffs soon after the Iowa-bred stars turned in notable works Thursday at Oaklawn.

Ain’t Life Grand worked by himself. He went five-eighths from the gate in 1:01.80 as he prepares for his first start since July, when he was a close third in the Grade 3 Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows.

“I thought he worked really good,” trainer Kelly Von Hemel said. “Now, we’ll just start looking for a race. He’s been off a while, so we just as soon have an allowance race before going into deeper water.”

Von Hemel said Ain’t Life Grand was given time off due to a bone bruise. He resumed training in October. Ain’t Life Grand is a seven-time stakes winner, among his victories the Iowa Derby and last season’s Lake Ouachita at Oaklawn.

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Von Hemel said a summer goal is the Cornhusker.

Tyler’s Tribe, who has won four stakes, last raced in April. He worked five-eighths from the gate in company, going in 1:00.80.

“He’s got energy, wants to go,” trainer Tim Martin said. “That horse loves to run. He didn’t want to pull up after the workout.”

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Tyler’s Tribe was sidelined after a bout with pulmonary hemorrhaging. He scoped clean Thursday, said Martin, who will look for an allowance for the horse so he can race on the diuretic Lasix.

◗ Awesome Road, who was fourth in the Southwest, may run next at Turfway Park, trainer Brad Cox said. He said Wednesday that no plans had been set yet for Martha Washington runner-up Denim and Pearls.

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