Hal's My Hope, Green Vegas work from starting gate

MIAMI - The starting gate is a busy place in the morning during the spring and summer months at Calder with so many 2-year-olds on the grounds gearing up for their career debuts.

But sprinkled in among all the young horses and new shooters at the barrier this past Saturday morning were two of the top 3-year-olds on the grounds, Green Vegas and Hal's My Hope. Both continued preparations for upcoming assignments by working from the gate over a wet-fast racetrack.

Green Vegas was the first of the pair to breeze. Breaking out of the gate with four others, the multiple stakes winner worked three furlongs in 35.60 seconds, with a final eighth-mile split from the wire to the seven-furlong pole in less than 11 seconds.

In his most recent start, in the 1 1/16-mile Unbridled Stakes on April 28, Green Vegas ducked to the outside leaving the starting gate, steadied into the opening bend, and ultimately finished a well-beaten third behind Hal's My Hope. A son of Trippi, Green Vegas moved to the top of the local 2-year-old handicap division after capturing both the Foolish Pleasure Breeders' Cup and In Reality Stakes here last fall. He finished third behind Buffalo Man in both the Spectacular Bid and OBS Championships earlier this winter, as well as fourth to Street Magician in Gulfstream Park's Aventura Stakes.

Hal's My Hope gained instant notoriety after winning the Unbridled by a dozen lengths despite a slow start. The performance prompted owner-trainer Barry Rose to take the homebred son of Halo's Image to Belmont Park for the Peter Pan Stakes, where he finished a tiring fourth after contesting the pace into the stretch.

"I think the Peter Pan might have been a case of a new rider not knowing the horse and not letting him open up on the lead as much as I'd have liked him to," Rose said. "But, all in all, I was happy with the race and pleased that he's bounced back so well."

Hal's My Hope worked in company with three others Saturday, finishing strongly after sitting behind one of the other workers for the opening three furlongs of a five-furlong move that was officially timed in 1:02.40.

Rose said he was still uncertain where Hal's My Hope might start next.

"There's the Northern Dancer at Churchill Downs," Rose said, referring to the Grade 3, 1 1/16-mile race June 16. "Or there's an overnight stakes here later in the month which might be the most likely option at this time."

Soldier's Dancer, 'Frosty' drill

A couple of other top-caliber 3-year-olds worked here Saturday - turf star Soldier's Dancer and the fleet Frosty Secret.

Soldier's Dancer, hero of the Tropical Park Derby here on New Year's Day, worked a mile in 1:43 shortly after dawn. Frosty Secret went three furlongs in 35.40 seconds in his first drill since finishing fifth under allowance conditions here May 21.