Frosted tightens down for Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After a slow workout by himself under an exercise rider a week ago, Frosted had a jockey on his back and a stablemate in front of him when he worked Thursday in preparation for the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on Aug. 29.

Not surprisingly, Frosted, the Wood Memorial winner and Jim Dandy runner-up, worked a fast five furlongs in 59.57 seconds, getting his final quarter in 23.98 seconds. He shut it down shortly after the move.

Joel Rosario, the regular rider of Frosted, was aboard for the move, which came shortly after 9 a.m. on a fast, dry track. He began the move about two lengths behind the 4-year-old Irish-bred maiden Cavallucci. Entering the turn, Frosted was about four lengths behind his speedy workmate. Rosario guided Frosted to the outside, and exercise rider Rob Massey took a hold of Cavallucci as Rosario let out his rein a little bit to catch the workmate by the wire.

Last week, Frosted worked a half-mile in 51.25 seconds.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin moved Thursday’s work up a day due to the threat of rain overnight.

“We wanted a good five-eighths because of last week,” McLaughlin said. “We weren’t quite looking for that fast, but it doesn’t matter. We were very happy with the way he did it. We told him not to gallop out too much.”

McLaughlin said he had Rosario work the horse in part because he didn’t want Massey – Frosted’s regular exercise rider – to overthink the work after last week’s slower-than-desired drill.

“He’s a top rider, but thinking about last week – worrying – we just decided to let Joel sit on him because he’s a very good horseman,” McLaughlin said.

Rosario had worked Frosted one previous time, in between his fourth-place finish in the Fountain of Youth and his Wood Memorial win. Following the Wood Memorial, Frosted finished fourth to American Pharoah in the Kentucky Derby and second to that horse in the Belmont Stakes.

McLaughlin also worked Wedding Toast on Thursday. The winner of the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps in her last start, Wedding Toast went three furlongs in 37 seconds over the synthetic surface at the Greentree training facility adjacent to the backstretch.

It was her first work since the Phipps, having missed some time due to a foot issue. She is targeting the Beldame at Belmont on Sept. 26.