Damon's Mound all set for Saratoga Special

Damon’s Mound is all set for Saturday’s Saratoga Special, having come out of his final workout for the race in good order.

Saturday at trainer Michelle Lovell’s Colonial Downs base, Damon’s Mound worked five furlongs in 1:02, with race rider Gabriel Saez coming in to breeze the colt.

“Just a maintenance work,” said Michelle Lovell, who trains Damon’s Mound for Michele and Cliff Love. “Just an easy, in-hand work by himself.”

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Damon’s Mound, by Girvin out of San Antonio Stroll, by Stroll, roared to a 12 1/2-length win in his lone start, a July 2 maiden special weight sprint at Churchill Downs. Rating kindly for Saez and displaying a huge turn of foot, Damon’s Mound won without being asked and posted an 84 Beyer Speed Figure. He’s set for an exciting matchup at Saratoga with Gulfport, a Steve Asmussen-trained colt who has started his career with two romping victories.

Damon’s Mound has worked four times since he relocated to Colonial with the rest of Lovell’s stable. His major move came July 23, when Damon’s Mound went five-eighths in 58.60 with a strong gallop-out.

“I needed to slow him down,” Lovell said of the work this past weekend. “He’s never been asked in any of his works, even before his first start. He’s just doing exceptionally well right now.”

Damon’s Mound was to ship from Colonial on Tuesday night and arrive at Saratoga early Wednesday morning. He’ll train there Thursday and Friday and paddock-school on Thursday, Lovell said.