Catholic Boy on track for Kelso Handicap

ELMONT, N.Y. - Catholic Boy, a dual-surface Grade 1 stakes winner at 1 1/4 miles as a 3-year-old, will make his next start in the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Handicap, a one-turn mile race at Belmont Park on Sept. 21, trainer Jonathan Thomas said Saturday.

Catholic Boy has run twice this year, winning the Grade 2 Dixie going 1 1/16 miles on turf at Pimlico on May 18 and finishing second to Preservationist in the Grade 2 Suburban going 1 1/4 miles on dirt at Belmont on July 6.

Catholic Boy had a few issues coming out of the Suburban that forced Thomas to back off of his training. Over the last few weeks, however, Catholic Boy has picked up the pace, including a sharp five-furlong workout in 1:00.50 Saturday morning over the Belmont Park training track.

“The Kelso makes the most sense to target,” Thomas said Saturday. “The cutback, but also the timing of it. Some good horses have won the Kelso. If he runs well, it sets you up for a couple of logical things to look at.”

Thomas was referring to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile or the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, both on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

In Saturday’s work, Catholic Boy, equipped with blinkers and with Javier Castellano aboard, went his first three furlongs in 36.40 and got his final quarter in 24.10 while galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.50.

“I thought it was a good, solid move,” Thomas said. “I liked the progression from his last two works in Saratoga to this. I like how he started off and finished up. I got the last three-eighths in 36. Most importantly, I liked what I saw back at the barn. He recovered pretty quickly.”

In the Kelso, Catholic Boy will most likely face Prince Lucky, who worked five furlongs in 59.59 seconds Saturday morning over the Belmont training track.