Breeders' Cup Classic: Fort Larned works sharply on short rest
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The move came straight out of the Carl Nafzger playbook. Strictly by design, Fort Larned had his second work in just a three-day span early Tuesday when drilling five furlongs in company at Churchill Downs with a strong gallop-out, all part of Ian Wilkes’s master plan in getting the defending Breeders’ Cup Classic champion back to Santa Anita in peak shape.
Such rapid-fire, back-to-back works are pretty unconventional these days, although it’s worth noting that Nafzger – the Hall of Fame trainer who has had a close affiliation with Wilkes for nearly 25 years – frequently used those tactics with many of his better horses as major races approached.
Wilkes said Saturday following a half-mile breeze by Fort Larned that he intended to come right back with a more demanding move Tuesday. The plan came to fruition when Fort Larned, with regular jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard, kept within about a length of his Grade 2-winning stablemate Neck ’n Neck before rolling past in the final furlong, passing under the wire about three lengths ahead in 1:00.60 and proceeding through gallop-out times of 1:13.20, 1:26.60, and 1:41.20, according to Churchill clocker John Nichols.
“I sat about a length behind and then went on past easily at the eighth pole,” said Hernandez, who has ridden Fort Larned in his past nine races and in many of his workouts. “It was a great gallop-out all the way back around the turn. He felt great and did it the right way. Carl and Ian seem to think he’s back on his A-game and ready to go, and I have to agree.”
Fort Larned, who led all the way under Hernandez in winning the 2012 BC Classic by a half-length over Mucho Macho Man, is scheduled to have a final prerace breeze Monday at Churchill before being flown the following day to Southern California. The $5 million BC Classic is set for Nov. 2.
Fort Larned won the new Homecoming Classic at Churchill on Sept. 28 and has had four works since.
“Since the last race I really think he’s gotten better and better,” said Hernandez.