Haikal, Mind Control drill for Gotham Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As light snow fell on Long Island throughout Friday morning, it didn’t have the feel of the first day of March or that the Kentucky Derby was a mere nine weeks away.

Thoughts quickly turned to spring, however, as among the 123 horses to put in workouts at Belmont Park Friday morning were the top 3-year-olds on the grounds preparing for races their connections hope get them to Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.

The snow had tapered to flurries by the time stakes winners Haikal, Mind Control, and Tax came out to work after the 9:30 renovation break.

Haikal, winner of the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes, went a half-mile in 48.17 seconds in preparation for the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes next Saturday. Shortly thereafter, Mind Control, the Jerome and Grade 1 Hopeful winner, worked a half-mile in 49.80 seconds by himself, also in preparation for the Gotham.

A few minutes before those two drilled, Tax worked four furlongs in 48.47 seconds as he awaits the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 6.

:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders with comments from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker

Haikal, a son of Daaher owned by Shadwell Stable and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, worked in company with the 3-year-old filly It Justhitthe Wire, who is pointing to the $250,000 Busher Stakes on the same card.

The pair had at least a half-furlong run-up to the half-mile pole, and went their first quarter in 23.24 seconds and came home in 24.93 seconds. Haikal was ridden in the work by exercise rider Luis Perlaza.

“He seemed good, had his head down, looked all right, just cruising along. The rider really, really liked him,” said Joe Lee, the Belmont-based assistant to McLaughlin.

Haikal is a closer who may be helped by the addition to the Gotham field of Instagrand and Knicks Go, both graded stakes winners who have a lot of early speed.

Mind Control also has early speed. His victories in the Hopeful last summer at Saratoga and the Jerome on New Year’s Day both came on the front end.

Mind Control had his major Gotham work on Feb. 23 when he went five furlongs in 1:00.53 in company. Friday, Mind Control went a comfortable half-mile under jockey Chris Decarlo, getting his final quarter in 24.97 seconds, and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.90.

“Today, I was happy with the way he worked, the gallop-out was really good. Chris said he’s settled a lot more in his works since he’s been working him for us,” trainer Gregg Sacco said.

The Gotham field continues to evolve. On Thursday, it was announced that graded winners Instagrand and Knicks Go were coming for the Gotham. On Friday, trainer Bob Baffert told NYRA publicity that Much Better, a recent first-level allowance winner at Santa Anita, was going to ship east for the Gotham. However, Zenden, second in the Swale Stakes at Gulfstream, has been re-routed to the Tampa Bay Derby, trainer Victor Barboza told NYRA publicity.

Others likely to run in the Gotham include Federal Case, High Crime, Spun to Run, and Tikhvin Flew. Not That Brady and Mr. Ankeny are possible.

Tax picks up company

Tax, the Withers winner, was supposed to go an easy half-mile Friday morning as he isn’t scheduled to run again until the Wood.

But in the middle of the workout, a James Bond-trained horse mixed in with Tax and that brought out Tax’s competitive juices, and he got his final quarter in 23.61 seconds in a half-mile drill timed in 48.47. Tax galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.86 and six furlongs in 1:15.00.

“That was not by design,” said trainer Danny Gargan, who moved up Tax’s work by a day, fearing inclement weather Saturday morning. “I’m glad he worked good. I told him to go in 49 and change. When he latches onto another horse he’ll work better. He likes company.”