Catholic Boy has first work since finishing second in Suburban

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Catholic Boy, last year’s Travers winner, returned to Saratoga’s main track Friday morning for an easy half-mile workout in 52.06 seconds under jockey Javier Castellano as he prepares for his next start.

Friday’s work was Catholic Boy’s first move since he finished second to Preservationist in the Grade 2 Suburban Stakes at Belmont Park on July 6. Catholic Boy came out of that race with some cuts on his left leg that needed to heal. Trainer Jonathan Thomas said Catholic Boy walked and jogged for a two-week period after the race.

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“They weren’t terrible, but they were in a place where if he was training he would have reopened them,” Thomas said of the cuts. “Definitely wanted him to have an easy breeze, and I thought he moved well and he wanted to jump up and gallop out. That was actually the best part of the work.”

While the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward Stakes on Aug. 31 is possible for Catholic Boy, Thomas also is flirting with the idea of going back to the turf in a race like the Woodbine Mile on Sept. 14. Catholic Boy is 5 for 6 on turf.

“We’re on a schedule for the Woodward, but at the same time we’re not pushing him that way,” Thomas said. “He’s going to either take us that way or not.”