Ghost Hero fires bullet work before Robert Hilton
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Ghost Hero worked a bullet five-eighths on Friday at Louisiana Downs in his final prep for the $350,000 Robert Hilton Memorial Aug. 25 at Charles Town. The multiple stakes winner is one of four horses trainer Jayde Gelner was to ship out Friday for stakes on the undercard of the Grade 2, $1 million Charles Town Classic.
Ghost Hero worked in 1:00.60 in company, on a track rated fast at Louisiana Downs. Gelner said he was pleased with the move from the horse. Ghost Hero was fourth in the $300,000 Texas Derby at Lone Star Park in his last start, beaten just three-quarters of a length May 29. He’s since been entered in an allowance at Louisiana Downs as a prep for the Super Derby, but the race did not fill and Gelner said he did not want to move the horse to a distance of 1 1/8 miles without the allowance start as the horse last raced in May.
The Hilton is a seven-eighths of a mile race for 3-year-olds and it will be run around two turns at Charles Town. Floyd Wethey Jr. has the mount for Norman Stables. Gelner said Toddchero, who has placed in five stakes races, worked Friday for the Hilton. Gelner is hoping both horses will get into the race and said the same for Perfect Wish, who is intended for the Grade 3, $750,000 Charles Town Oaks.
“We wanted to ship a week early to get them acclimated,” said Gelner.
Perfect Wish has won her last three races, with her latest victory a seven-length romp in a division of the Iowa Stallion Stakes at two turns July 21 at Prairie Meadows. She breezed a half-mile in 49.60 seconds Friday at Louisiana Downs.
“When she went to Iowa, she did was she was supposed to do at 1-5 – she just galloped,” Gelner said. “She had a lot more gears to go that she never got to use. She just did that easily, so I expect a big race from her.
“She’s an agile, little filly. She should be quick away from the gates and I think the bullring should really fit her. She’s pretty quick away from there and she has some gas at the same time, if we choose to use that.”
Perfect Wish is a daughter of Midshipman owned by Norman Stables. She is to be ridden by Wethey.
Gelner said Majestic Ways also is making the trip, for the $250,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon for fillies and mares at seven furlongs. She breezed a half-mile in 49 seconds Friday at Louisiana Downs. The 4-year-old daughter of Tapiture last raced on May 29, and was third in the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint at Lone Star.
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