Corniche drills half-mile for Amsterdam Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Corniche, last year’s 2-year-old champion male, worked a solid half-mile Sunday morning at Saratoga and has been confirmed to run in next Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds, trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Corniche, who has not raced since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last November at Del Mar, has been with Pletcher since June. He was transferred by owners Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner, who race under Speedway Stables, because Bob Baffert,the previous trainer of Corniche, is banned from running in New York until Jan. 26.
Sunday’s work, which went in 48.03 seconds over the main track in company with the listed stakes winner Provocateur, was Corniche’s seventh since arriving in Pletcher’s barn.
“He’s picked it up a little bit in each breeze, has gotten a little stronger,” Pletcher said. “I thought this morning was probably the strongest breeze so far for us; sharp half over a track that I didn’t think was playing real, real fast. I was happy to see that.”
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Provocateur, also nominated to the Amsterdam, is being considered for the $100,000 Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth Park on Aug. 6
Pinehurst also targeting Amsterdam
Pinehurst, another horse previously trained by Baffert, is going to make his next start in the Amsterdam Stakes. He was transferred by his owners last week from Southern California to trainer John Terranova.
On Sunday, Pinehurst worked a half-mile in 47.12 seconds, making up two lengths on Three Jokers. He got his last quarter in 23.39 seconds.
Flavien Prat, who rode Pinehurst to victory in the Group 2 Saudi Derby in February, was aboard for the work, which was done in blinkers.
“He went well this morning, he felt good,” Prat said.
Prat said in the 10-furlong UAE Derby, in which Pinehurst finished last of 16, “the track was too deep and it was probably too far for him.”
At 2, Pinehurst won a five-furlong maiden race and the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity
Others pointing to the Amsterdam include Accretive, Gunite, Hoist the Gold, and Pappacap.
Jackie's Warrior sharp in Vandy drill
The typical final breeze for a Steve Asmussen-trained runner a week out from a race is a half-mile in about 50 seconds.
Since Jackie’s Warrior is not your typical horse, it was okay that he went a half-mile in 48.66 seconds Sunday morning over the Oklahoma training track with a final quarter of 22.89 seconds. Jackie’s Warrior is targeting Saturday’s Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap for his next start.
“He’s as fast as easy as can be as anything I’ve ever seen,” Asmussen said. “He doesn’t look like he’s moving as fast as the clock is.”
Jackie’s Warrior, last year’s champion sprinter, will be attempting to win a Grade 1 stakes at Saratoga for the third consecutive year in the Vanderbilt. At 2, he won the Hopeful. At 3, he won the H. Allen Jerkens. Overall, he is a four-time stakes winner at Saratoga.
Jackie’s Warrior was assigned 127 pounds for the Amsterdam. Those mentioned as possible starters and their weight assignments include Ny Traffic (121), Willy Boi (120), Kneedeepinsnow (117) and Long Range Toddy (117).