Aloha West turns in fast Met Mile drill at Churchill
ELMONT, N.Y. - Aloha West, the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner, blitzed five furlongs in 58.60 seconds Friday morning at Churchill Downs in preparation for his meeting on June 11 with Flightline and Speaker’s Corner in the Grade 1, $1 million Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.
Churchill clocker John Nichols caught Aloha West’s three furlongs in 34.60 seconds, and had his last quarter in 24-flat while galloping out six furlongs in 1:11.60 and seven furlongs in 1:25.20.
“That’s not with company or sticking him,” trainer Wayne Catalano said. “That’s pretty damn good.”
Aloha West is coming off a third-place finish behind Jackie’s Warrior and Reinvestment Risk in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on May 7 at Churchill Downs.
“He finished third, but he was second best,” Catalano said.
Aloha West is scheduled to ship to Belmont on Monday, Catalano said.
Flightline, undefeated in three starts, is also expected to arrive Monday from Southern California, trainer John Sadler said earlier this week. Speaker’s Corner, the Grade 1 Carter winner, is already based at Belmont.
Informative is the other confirmed starter. It remans to be seen if the race gets a fifth starter from prospective candidates Happy Saver and Reinvestment Risk.