Daredevil impressive in turf work

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Any lingering doubts trainer Todd Pletcher might have had about whether Daredevil would like the grass were erased Friday when the Grade 1 winner turned in a sparkling half-mile drill with jockey Javier Castellano aboard over the Oklahoma turf course.

Daredevil worked inside the dogs with older turf specialist Jack Milton. They breezed a half-mile in 48.73 and galloped out an extremely impressive quarter-mile around the turn and into the backstretch. Daredevil, a son of More Than Ready, had been similarly impressive working in company on grass with the older turf stakes winner Charming Kitten the previous week.

Daredevil has made all five career starts on dirt. He won the Grade 1 Champagne last year at 2 but finished far back following a tough trip in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He is winless in two starts at 3 and idle since finishing fourth as the 2-1 favorite in the Wood Memorial.

“They worked on the inside, so naturally they’re going to go faster than the others,” said Pletcher. “But I thought the gallop-out was exceptional. It looked like Daredevil really seemed to enjoy it, and he was working with a proven Grade 1 turf winner. It was good to see.”

In light of Friday’s work, Pletcher will point Daredevil for the Grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes on turf at Saratoga on Aug. 7. Jack Milton, the winner of the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland this year, will make his next start in the Grade 2 Fourstardave here Aug. 15.