El Kabeir gets serious

ELMONT, N.Y. – El Kabeir, unraced since running third in the Wood Memorial in April, had his most serious workout since resuming training when he worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds over the Belmont main track Thursday.

El Kabeir started about eight lengths behind stablemate Picture Day and joined him by the wire before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.60.

It was the fourth workout for El Kabeir since a foot injury knocked him out of the Kentucky Derby and prompted his connections to give him a lengthy vacation.

“He’s come back really well; everything’s going really nicely for him,” trainer John Terranova said. “He’s bigger, stronger. He’s come back as good as you could want a horse to come back.”

Terranova has mentioned races such as the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 28 and the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 as possible objectives for El Kabeir, who won the Jerome and Gotham during the winter at Aqueduct.

– additional reporting by Mike Vesce