Artemis Agrotera nice and relaxed in work

ELMONT, N.Y. – The way things have been going of late, trainer Mike Hushion was not necessarily looking to see changes in Artemis Agrotera. But the relaxed manner in which the 3-year-old filly breezed Wednesday at Belmont Park was clearly an indication that Artemis Agrotera is changing for the better.

Artemis Agrotera, coming off wins in the Grade 1 Ballerina and Grade 2 Gallant Bloom, worked five furlongs in 1:00.01 on Wednesday over the Belmont main track. While it turned out to be the fastest of 15 works at the distance, it wasn’t as fast as Artemis Agrotera has worked over this track in the past.

Under Jose Ortiz, who will ride her in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, Artemis Agrotera worked in fractions of 11.98 seconds for her opening eighth, 24.17 for the quarter, 35.99 for three furlongs, and got her last quarter in 24.02. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.82.

“There’s been a little change in her. She’s calmed down some,” Hushion said afterward. “[Ortiz] loved the way she worked. He said she didn’t jump away from the pole like she used to. When he asked her about the eighth pole, she eased into it.”

That was the second work for Artemis Agrotera since her narrow victory over La Verdad in the Gallant Bloom here Sept. 20. She is expected to work once more here before leaving for Southern California on Oct. 26.