Fast work by Drain the Clock removes any doubt about trip to Dubai
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Sunday’s local work tab here was a large one with the best move of the day turned in by Drain the Clock. He went a half-mile in 46.02, under a hold to finish, before continuing on with tons of energy when asked and pulling up after six furlongs in 1:11.90. The work gave trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. all the encouragement he needs to ship the Grade 1 winner to Dubai for the $2 million Golden Shaheen at Meydan on March 26.
In his last start, Drain the Clock finished second to Miles Ahead in the Gulfstream Park Sprint, beaten a neck as the 3-5 favorite while receiving a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure. Drain the Clock’s best effort prior to that was the 97 he earned upsetting 2021 sprint champion Jackie’s Warrior in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens in June.
“You can’t work any better than that,” Joseph said of the Sunday work. “He got beat last time, but all the numbers that came in said it was still his best race yet. The other horse was just better than us that day. “We plan to do all our major work here, one more next week, then probably just give him a little three-eighths when we get there.”
Joseph has a second highly regarded sprinter in Officiating, who shipped to Aqueduct to dominate the Tom Fool Handicap by 5 3/4 lengths on Saturday. He won the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector here in his 2021 finale. Joseph said the seven-furlong Sir Shackleton on April 2, Florida Derby Day, or the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct on April 9 are his two most likely options for Officiating’s next start.
◗ Leading jockey Luis Saez eclipsed the 100-win mark for the meet while posting another four-bagger on Sunday. His 100th win came guiding Catiche to a very impressive maiden victory for trainer Jonathan Thomas in the Sunday’s fifth race.
◗ Saez’s final two wins on the card, aboard Gooch Go Bragh and Eagle Chief, came as part of the mandatory Rainbow 6 sequence, which returned $4,240 for each winning 20-cent ticket. More than $3.5 million in new money was added to the $274,672 carryover going into the day.