Guest Suite drills half-mile in final work for Risen Star

Guest Suite, who won the Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 21 in his 3-year-old debut, had his final Risen Star workout on Tuesday, going a half-mile in 48 seconds. On a damp, drizzly morning, trainer Neil Howard did not hesitate to work Guest Suite over a wet, sealed Fair Grounds surface.

“On this racetrack, very rarely does anything get in your way of training,” Howard said.

Joel Dominguez, Guest Suite’s regular work rider, put the Quality Road gelding through his paces Tuesday. Howard was not looking for anything fast, and Guest Suite never was asked for run, but he zipped energetically over a surface he clearly handles (Guest Suite’s win in the Lecomte came over a similar track) and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.

“It’s hard put your finger on it when you think you see these 3-year-olds developing a little bit, but I think I’m seeing some of that with him,” said Howard. “He’s doing nicely.”