Idiomatic, Timberlake drill for upcoming stakes
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Among notable names on Saturday’s work tab were champion Idiomatic and Grade 1 winner Timberlake, who also put in drills over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for upcoming stakes engagements.
Idiomatic, the champion older dirt female of 2023, worked five furlongs in 1:00.53 by herself in preparation for the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on Aug. 23. Daily Racing Form caught Idiomatic in splits of 13.18 seconds, 24.90, 47.83 and had her out six furlongs in 1:13.00.
“Time-wise, I wasn’t looking for as much she did, but a really good,” Cox said. “I thought the track was in really good shape considering the amount of rain we had the last few days. She’s a good workhorse though and we saw a little more of the same from her.”
Idiomatic, after going 8 for 9 last year, has won two of three starts this year, most recently the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher by a head over Soul of an Angel. Her lone loss this year came by a head to Randomized in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps.
“Just a narrow defeat here without maybe the greatest trip in the Ogden Phipps,” trainer Brad Cox said. “Obviously, when you’re running against these-caliber-of horses you have to get a good trip, you have to break well. She got away better last time at Monmouth, we may have gone a little too slow [early] at Monmouth. It was run more like a grass race as opposed to a dirt race.”
Right after Idiomatic breezed, Timberlake, under Flavien Prat, went five furlongs in 1:01.32, galloping out five furlongs in 1:14.18. Timberlake, who won the Grade 1 Champagne going a one-turn at 2, is targeting the Grade 1, H. Allen Jerkens at seven furlongs on Aug. 24.
Cox said though Timberlake won the Grade 2 Rebel around two turns earlier in the year at Oaklawn Park, “he’s probably a true one-turn horse. A one-turn mile is probably his cup of tea. Obviously, we’re going to try the seven-eighths with him and I think if he gets a good trip he’s right there.”
Also working for the Jerkens on Saturday was Domestic Product, who went a half-mile in 48.50 seconds by himself over the Oklahoma training track for Chad Brown.
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