Cox, Asmussen put stars to work for upcoming major stakes

Quite a few top-class performers showed up on the work tab last weekend at Churchill for Brad Cox and Steve Asmussen.

For Cox, those workers included Mandaloun (five furlongs in 1:00.60), Shedaresthedevil (four furlongs in 48.80), Arklow (three furlongs in 39.40), Cyberknife (four furlongs in 47.60), and Tawny Port (four furlongs in 48.80). All breezed Sunday except Shedaresthedevil, who worked the previous morning.

For Asmussen, it was Echo Zulu (five furlongs in a bullet 59.60 Sunday), Jackie’s Warrior (five furlongs in 1:00 Sunday), Clairiere (five furlongs in 1:00 Sunday), Pauline’s Pearl (four furlongs in 50 Monday), and Morello (five furlongs in 1:01.40 Monday).

Letruska readies for Phipps

Letruska, the reigning champion in the filly-mare dirt division, was scheduled to breeze Thursday or Friday at Churchill, “depending on weather,” said trainer Fausto Gutierrez, before the 6-year-old mare ships out for New York, where she will make her next start in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on the June 11 Belmont Stakes card.

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“We want to be there about a week before,” said Gutierrez. “She is doing very well.”

* Howling Time will breeze Saturday at Churchill, said trainer Dale Romans, and determine whether the colt will run in the Belmont Stakes. “We’re leaning toward going, but I need him to put in a good work first,” said Romans.