Fiftyshadesofgold set for Test Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Fiftyshadesofgold worked four furlongs in 48.40 seconds Friday morning at Churchill Downs, her final breeze before running in the Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes here on Aug. 2.

The work was the fastest of 58 moves Friday morning at Churchill Downs and it was the fourth straight bullet work Fiftyshadesofgold has fired in the last month.

“She’s doing really, really well,” trainer Bret Calhoun said by phone Friday from Churchill Downs. “She’s had some really nice works coming up to this. I gave her a couple of stiff five-eighths. She’s really looked good and galloped out big.”

Fiftyshadesofgold is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont on June 7. Calhoun said that Fiftyshadesofgold found herself on the lead in that one-mile race and set strong early fractions.

“Then a horse come up behind her and cut her back legs up a little bit and she lost momentum,” Calhoun said.

Prior to the Acorn, Fiftyshadesofgold won the Grade 3 Eight Belles at seven furlongs at Churchill Downs. She is 2 for 2 at seven furlongs, the distance of the Test.

Fiftyshadesofgold was scheduled to leave Kentucky by van on Sunday and arrive in Saratoga on Monday.

Robby Albarado will ride Fiftyshadesofgold for the first time as Mike Smith, who had ridden the filly in her three previous starts, is committed to ride at Del Mar that day.

The Test is expected to come up with a large and solid field. Others expected to run are Bird Maker, Little Alexis, Miss Behaviour, My Miss Sophia, Princess Violet, Southern Honey, Street Story, Sweet Reason, Sweet Whiskey, Tea Time, and Thank You Marylou.