Amy's Challenge to face males in prep for Alcibiades

Amy’s Challenge, the promising 2-year-old filly based at Canterbury Park with trainer Mac Robertson, had her first work Wednesday since a sharp debut win, and her connections have plotted the outline of a late-summer and fall campaign.

Amy’s Challenge officially worked five furlongs in 1:00.13, though Robertson said the work was set up more as a half-mile drill. Robertson said he timed Amy’s Challenge’s first furlong in about 13 seconds and that she had gotten her last eighth in roughly 11 seconds, a flashy come-home time for what was not intended to be a strong breeze.

“We were happy to get her around there safe,” Robertson said. “The last eighth was pretty effortless. She’s a big, fast filly. She stands about 16 [hands] 2.”

Amy’s Challenge’s lone start, an open maiden race, came Aug. 6 at Canterbury, where she won over 5 1/2 furlongs by more than 16 lengths after popping to the lead. The race produced a 91 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest number in the country so far this year for a 2-year-old filly. Amy’s Challenge, purchased for $20,000 at auction by the Novogratz Racing Stable, is by Artie Schiller out of Jump Up, by Jump Start, and Robertson believes despite all her speed that she is meant to be a route horse.

With that in mind, Robertson has set as a major goal the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile dirt race Oct. 6 at Keeneland. To get her there, Robertson said, the plan is to race against males on Sept. 15 at Canterbury in the $50,000 Shakopee Juvenile at six furlongs. Robertson said Amy’s Challenge was likely to have one more work before that start.