American Patriot has solid workout for Fourstardave

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – American Patriot, who finished 11th in the Grade 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, turned in a solid five-furlong workout Friday over the Oklahoma turf course and will run in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga.

American Patriot worked in company with Adorable Miss, a two-time stakes-winning filly. The move was the second-quickest among 18 works at the distance Friday over the Oklahoma turf.

“Not that that matters, I thought he did it well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Prior to going to England, American Patriot won an allowance race at Gulfstream and then the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland. Pletcher has been pleased with how well American Patriot has come out of the Royal Ascot race.

“The trip he took remarkably well,” Pletcher said. “If anything, he’s gained weight since then and looks good.”

According to Andrew Byrnes, the stakes coordinator for the New York Racing Association, a field of five is expected for the Fourstardave. The other four are Ballagh Rocks (the winner of the Grade 3 Poker at Belmont), Disco Partner (the winner of the Grade 3 Jaipur and the listed Forbidden Apple), Time Test (the runner-up in the Grade 1 Manhattan), and World Approval (the winner of the Grade 2 Dixie at Pimlico).

On Friday, World Approval worked five furlongs in 1:04 but came home in 24.60 seconds under Julien Leparoux.

Tapwrit picks up the pace for Travers

Tapwrit, the Belmont Stakes winner, picked up the pace in his preparation for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes by working five furlongs in 1:01.84 in company with Destin on Friday.

With regular rider Jose Ortiz up, Tapwrit, working on the inside, went his first three furlongs in 36.80 seconds, got his final quarter in 25.04, and then galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.36 and seven furlongs in 1:28.36.

“Extremely pleased with the way he galloped out and finished the work,” trainer Pletcher said. “He seems like he’s doing very well.”

Friday’s move was Tapwrit’s first at five furlongs since the Belmont Stakes. His two previous moves were at four furlongs. Though it’s been nearly two months since Tapwrit ran, Pletcher said he’s happy with where the colt is three weeks before the Travers.

“He’s obviously a horse that has plenty of stamina,” Pletcher said. “Coming off a mile-and-a-half race, I thought [it would] be a good time to space him out a little bit and not get too strong with his workouts just yet. But I thought he’s basically shown in all three of his workouts that his fitness level’s quite good.”

New Money Honey in Alabama

After watching New Money Honey put in a sensational five-furlong workout Friday over the Saratoga main track, trainer Chad Brown confirmed her as a starter Aug. 19 for the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes, which will be her dirt debut.

On Friday, New Money Honey worked five furlongs in 1:01.12, pulling away by eight lengths from Jamyson ‘n Ginger.

“She really was outstanding,” Brown said. “She had been training very well on the dirt, and we let her out a notch this morning, and she galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 and change.”

New Money Honey, a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, is 4 for 6, with all her starts on turf. She won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last year and the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in her last start.

“This filly always trained like she was okay on the dirt, but she was doing so well on the turf, it’s hard to make a move until the right opportunity shows up,” Brown said. “This looks like the right opportunity.”

Unchained Melody, the winner of the Grade 2 Mother Goose, worked five furlongs in 1:01.43 over the main track Friday in preparation for the Alabama.