Fair Grounds: Nehro posts first 2012 workout

Nehro, the 2011 Kentucky Derby runner-up, posted his first timed workout of 2012 on Thursday, going an easy half-mile in 53 seconds.

Nehro joined trainer Steve Asmussen’s Fair Grounds string in early December, and training for his comeback has proceeded favorably.

“The horse is coming back nicely,” Asmussen said. “He had three two-minute licks and now the timed work, and hopefully, we’ll slowly pick up the schedule and everything will go smoothly.”

Asmussen said that as of Friday he didn’t know when or where Nehro might make his first start of the year. While he finished a close second in the Louisiana and Arkansas derbies before hitting the Triple Crown, Nehro remains eligible for a first-level allowance race.

Nehro was taken out of training following the Belmont Stakes because of a chipped bone that required surgery to repair. He briefly linked up with Asmussen at the Saratoga meet, before the decision was made to rest Nehro for the remainder of 2011.