Asmussen makes plans for 3-year-olds

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Steve Asmussen has Tenfold pointing to the Jim Dandy and Zing Zang to the Curlin.

On Friday, he worked Combatant on the turf and was pleased enough with what he saw to point him to the Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes on turf here Aug. 3.

“I thought he worked great,” Asmussen said. “It makes it feel like the Hall of Fame. Makes me wonder what I’m going to do with Reride. The Jim Dandy is a possibility. He’s freakishly versatile.”

Reride, who has won on turf, has three wins on dirt from 4 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles.

Romans may run three in Amsterdam

Trainer Dale Romans said he could run as many as three horses in next Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes for 3-year-olds. At 6 1/2 furlongs, the Amsterdam is the local prep for the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens here Aug. 25.

Romans is looking at running Promises Fulfilled, Seven Trumpets, and Cove Blue in the Amsterdam.

Promises Fulfilled, 15th in the Kentucky Derby after setting the pace, came back to run third in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont. Seven Trumpets finished second, beaten nine lengths by Firenze Fire, in the Grade 3 Dwyer on July 7. Cove Blue won a six-furlong allowance race on May 28 at Churchill Downs.

Though Promises Fulfilled won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth around two turns, Romans believes “he’s more of a one-turn horse as of now.”

Prince Lucky sidelined; Noble Indy gets break

Prince Lucky, who won the Easy Goer Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day, will miss the Curlin Stakes due to “a little bit of a setback,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Pletcher is hoping to have Prince Lucky ready for the Grade 3, $300,000 Smarty Jones on Aug. 25 at Parx Racing.

Meanwhile, Pletcher said Noble Indy has been sent to the farm for a break and will likely not race again until the Gulfstream Park winter meet.

After winning the Louisiana Derby, Noble Indy finished 17th in the Kentucky Derby, last in the Belmont Stakes, and last in the Dwyer.

Mind Your Biscuits in long work

Trainer Chad Summers tried to replicate the two turns Mind Your Biscuits will likely be attempting in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on Aug. 4 by working him seven furlongs around two turns Friday at Saratoga.

With Joel Rosario up, Mind Your Biscuits worked seven furlongs in 1:26.56, galloping out a mile in 1:39.78. Mind Your Biscuits worked in blinkers, equipment he wears in the races, but rarely works in.

“It’s a serious work two weeks out, I wanted to make sure he kept his focus,” Summers said.

Rosario said he felt Mind Your Biscuits worked better Friday over the main track than he did last year in Saratoga.

Summers said he is “90 to 95 percent” ready to run Mind Your Biscuits in the Whitney.