Catholic Boy, Analyze It in final works for Pennine Ridge

ELMONT, N.Y. – The undefeated Analyze It and the dual-surface stakes winner Catholic Boy both put in workouts at Belmont Park Monday morning and were then part of an eight-horse field drawn that afternoon for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park.

Turf works, usually conducted on Sunday, were moved to Monday due to rain on Sunday.

Catholic Boy, who has not run since having been found to have bled in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 31, found a solid workmate in the 5-year-old New York-bred mare Kundray.

Catholic Boy started on the outside, about a length behind Kundray, and drew on even terms coming to the quarter pole in 25.25 seconds. Manny Franco asked Catholic Boy a little bit inside the sixteenth pole, and they nosed out Kundray at the wire, completing a half-mile in 48.05 seconds.

“I thought he’s been very relaxed in a positive way since we brought him back,” trainer Jonathan Thomas said. “I thought he relaxed really nicely this morning, engaged his workmate when he was asked to, and offered up a pretty good gallop-out.”

Catholic Boy, who has not run on turf since a fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, drew post 3 and will be ridden by Javier Castellano in the Pennine Ridge.

Analyze It, undefeated in three starts, also worked on the turf, inside of the multiple Grade 1-winning older male Beach Patrol, who is pointing to the Grade 1 Manhattan on June 9. The two were head and head all the way and went five furlongs in 1:01.40, with a final quarter of 24.02 seconds.

“He’s up to that,” trainer Chad Brown said when asked about putting Analyze It in company with such an accomplished horse as Beach Patrol.

Analyze It drew post 4 and will be ridden by Jose Ortiz in the Pennine Ridge, a stepping-stone to the Belmont Derby on July 7.

The field, in post order, is: Up the Ante, Hawkish, Catholic Boy, Analyze It, Irish Territory, Untamed Domain, Archaggelos, and Channel Cat.

Hawkish is expected to be cross-entered in Saturday’s $400,000 Penn Mile at Penn National.