Frosted, Mohaymen among McLaughlin workers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The success of trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s Saratoga meet will primarily boil down to one day – Aug. 6. That’s the day he will run many of his big stakes horses, led by Frosted, who on Friday worked five furlongs in 1:00.56 over the synthetic surface at the Greentree facility in Saratoga Springs.

Frosted, who set stakes records for time (1:32.73) and margin of victory (14 1/4 lengths) in winning the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 11, is pointing to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney Invitational on Aug. 6. The time seemed less relevant for Frosted on Friday than how he looked getting over the track and his level of fitness. Frosted has been at Saratoga since May 1.

“He’s just going great,” McLaughlin said. “Frosted has not really had many bad days. I used to say that about Mohaymen, too. Frosted is just happy.”

McLaughlin also worked Kareena for the Grade 1 Test. Kareena, extremely impressive in winning the Jersey Girl Stakes at Belmont, worked a half-mile in 47.40 seconds at Greentree.

Robillard, whom McLaughlin is pointing to the De La Rose Stakes on Aug. 6, worked five furlongs in 1:00.20. Robillard is coming off an allowance win at Belmont on June 23.

A week before that trio runs for McLaughlin, Mohaymen will run in next Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes.

After working the last two weeks on the main track, Mohaymen worked a half-mile in 47.76 seconds at Greentree.

Initially, McLaughlin was planning to work Mohaymen on the main track, but he made a late audible to keep him at Greentree. It proved a prudent move as he would have been going to the track at the same time that an injured Stradivari was being tended to before being vanned off.

“I just felt like it was a little more quiet back here, no issues, and he goes well back here,” McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin said the Jim Dandy was chosen over the $1 million Haskell for logistical reasons.

“Not shipping and just walking out of his own stall and be ready for the Travers, which is our goal,” McLaughlin said. “Shipping down there, it’s often very hot, a little bit speed-favoring track.”