Gulfstream Park: Dullahan works toward Blue Grass Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Working for the first time since his second-place finish in the Palm Beach Stakes, Dullahan breezed five furlongs in 1:02.19 shortly after the first renovation break Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

Dullahan, who missed several days of training as a result of a popped splint bone discovered shortly after the Palm Beach, broke off at the half-mile pole and finished around the turn at the mile pole. He posted splits of 24.94 seconds for the quarter and 49.66 for the half before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.72.

“He worked well, he looked good moving and has had no effects from the splint issue,” trainer Dale Romans said shortly before heading to the airport to board a plane for New Orleans, where he was to run Finnegan’s Wake in Sunday’s Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. “He’ll fly to Kentucky this week, work once at Keeneland, and is still on target to run in the Blue Grass.”

Romans also reflected on News Pending’s disappointing seventh-place finish the previous afternoon in the $1 million Florida Derby. News Pending broke slow and was never a serious contender after having finished second behind Union Rags in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth five weeks earlier.

“It was a strange pace scenario, he got back further than we wanted, it became a sprint for home, and he couldn’t catch up,” Romans said. “We’ll just regroup, gallop him a few days, and then come up with a plan.”

Romans said he would firm up plans for Cozzetti’s next start later in the day, but at the moment was leaning toward the Arkansas Derby rather than the Wood Memorial on April 14.

Romans also sent out Shackleford to work a sharp half-mile in 47.22 under jockey Jesus Castanon here Sunday. Shackleford, who galloped out five-eighths in 59.90, is scheduled to make his next start Saturday at Aqueduct in the Grade 1 Carter.