Good Magic to be freshened for summer campaign

ELMONT, N.Y. – Good Magic, the Kentucky Derby runner-up, came out of his fourth-place finish in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday in good order and will be freshened for a summer campaign that will likely begin in late July.

Trainer Chad Brown had said after the Derby that he did not feel the 1 1/2-mile distance of the Belmont Stakes was going to suit Good Magic.

That was, in part, why he opted to run Good Magic back in two weeks in the Preakness Stakes. Good Magic, under Jose Ortiz, pressed Justify from the inside out of the gate and gave way grudgingly late, finishing a length behind Justify and beaten two heads by Bravazo and Tenfold for second.

On Monday, Brown let his post-race comments stand that he felt Good Magic’s trip didn’t give him the best chance to win the Preakness.

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Brown said Good Magic would be pointed to either the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell at Monmouth on July 29 or the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 28 as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 25.

Since Good Magic has already run well at Saratoga – finishing second in his career debut there last summer – and doesn’t need to prep there for the Travers, “I’d lean towards the Haskell,” Brown said.

Brown could still be represented in the Belmont Stakes, pending how well Gronkowski trains in the coming weeks. Gronkowski, named for and now owned in part by the New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, is scheduled to breeze Saturday at Belmont, his first workout since coming to Brown’s barn.

Plans still uncertain for Rushing Fall

Brown worked many of his stakes horses Monday at Belmont Park, including his talented pair of 3-year-old turf fillies Rushing Fall and Significant Form.

With turf works postponed from Sunday until Tuesday, Brown elected to work those two fillies on the dirt and they went a half-mile in 47.85 seconds with a last quarter in 23.89 seconds.

“A little quick, but they worked good,” Brown said.

Significant Form, the 6 1/4-length winner of the Memories of Silver Stakes, is pointing to the Grade 3, $200,000 Wonder Again at Belmont on June 7.

Rushing Fall, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner who suffered her first defeat in the Edgewood at Churchill Downs, is still being considered for the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 23.

“I don’t know what we’re doing yet,” Brown said. “By next week, I’ll have a plan.”

Pacific Wind, winner of the Grade 2 Ruffian, worked a half-mile in 48.45 seconds in preparation for a start in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps here on June 9.

Analyze It and Beach Patrol went a half together in 49.05 seconds. Analyze It will run in the Pennine Ridge on June 2 while Beach Patrol will run in the Manhattan on June 9.

Robert Bruce, winner of the Grade 3 Fort Marcy, worked a half-mile in 49.07 over the Belmont training track in company with Offering Plan. Robert Bruce will run in the Manhattan while Offering Plan is targeted for Monday’s Kingston Stakes for New York-breds.

Backyard Heaven and Mask went a half-mile together in 48.87 seconds over the training track. Backyard Heaven is pointing to the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs. There are no definitive plans for Mask.