Ice Box gets in his Haskell work

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - On a morning when most horsemen opted not to work their stakes horses due to wet track conditions, trainer Nick Zito sent out Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box for a half-mile breeze in 48.82 seconds Sunday morning at Saratoga. Ice Box is preparing for a start in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 1.

Working on the Oklahoma training track after the second renovation break and in company with the graded-stakes-winning older horse Cool Coal Man, Ice Box was timed by Daily Racing Form in fractions of 12.28 seconds for the quarter and 24.52 for the half-mile. He started 1 1/2 lengths behind Cool Coal Man and finished about two in front.

"I'm very happy," Zito said. "That was Cool Coal Man with and he's no slouch. I hope he has a good week."

Trainers Todd Pletcher and Kiaran McLaughlin opted to postpone by one day scheduled workouts for Haskell runners Super Saver and Trappe Shot, respectively. Zito was intent on getting his work in for Ice Box, and was happy enough with the Oklahoma training track, which was labeled muddy.

"He who hesitates is lost," Zito said. "I had to do it."

- additional reporting by Mike Welsch