Hot City Girl eyes Raven Run

Hot City Girl, the winner of the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks on Sept. 19, worked five furlongs in 1:01.10 on Friday over the Belmont Park training track in preparation for the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland next Sunday.

Hot City Girl, under Taylor Rice, worked in company, breaking off from the half-mile pole and going in splits of 24.79 seconds for the quarter and 48.37 for the half-mile. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.53.

“Beautiful,” trainer Linda Rice said. “She’s really coming into herself right now.”

Hot City Girl isn’t the only New York-bred pointing to the Raven Run. Bar of Gold, second to Cavorting in both the Grade 1 Test and Grade 2 Prioress at Saratoga, also is being pointed to the Raven Run.

** Captain Serious worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 over the Belmont Park training track on Friday in preparation for the $150,000 Hudson Stakes for New York-breds on Oct. 24. Captain Serious finished fourth in the Hudson last year. He hasn’t run since finishing fourth May 3 in the Affirmed Success Stakes at Belmont. He is back with trainer Mike Hushion after running twice for Rice while Hushion was ill earlier in the year.

** Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin postponed a scheduled workout Friday for Breeders’ Cup Classic contender Frosted due to heavy rain at Saratoga. McLaughlin rescheduled the work for Saturday morning.

** Belmont Park will be open Monday, Columbus Day, for a 10-race card highlighted by the $200,000 Pebbles Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Trainer Chad Brown has three of the eight entrants: European shipper Light in Paris, Consumer Credit, and Partisan Politics. Also entered were Devine Aida, Greywalls, Isabella Sings, My Cara Mia, and Lady Zuzu.