Improbable works sharp six furlongs, nears return
DEL MAR, Calif. – Improbable, idle since finishing sixth in the Preakness Stakes, is nearing a return to action following a sharp six-furlong drill in 1:12.60 on Tuesday at Del Mar.
“He went nice. He gets over this track really well,” said his trainer, Bob Baffert. “He was only going to go five furlongs, but he was going so well I had him go out six. Now we can start talking about where to run.”
Baffert said no decision had yet been made on where to run Improbable. He said he first needed to confer with Elliott Walden, president and chief executive of co-owner WinStar Farm.
Improbable, winner of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity last year, is winless in four starts this year, but was second in the Arkansas Derby and a division of Rebel Stakes. He is by City Zip, whose offspring often do well on turf, but Improbable has yet to race on grass. Baffert said he is not considering trying Improbable against elders in the Pacific Classic.
Great Return handles extra distance
Great Return successfully stretched out around two turns when winning a first-level allowance grass race Saturday, giving trainer Richard Mandella plenty of options for the next start for the 4-year-old daughter of Exchange Rate.
Great Return, who was bred and is owned by Bo Hirsch, had sprinted on turf in her previous three starts. She had one win and had finished in the money every time.
“She’s a nice filly. In her sprints, she finished well all the time,” Mandella said.
Mandella said he thought a second-level allowance would be the most likely spot for Great Return’s next race.
Stormy Liberal gearing up for return
Stormy Liberal, last year’s champion male turf horse, worked four furlongs in 49.80 seconds at San Luis Rey Downs on Tuesday, the fourth straight week he has posted a workout since embarking on the comeback trail for trainer Peter Miller.
Stormy Liberal has not raced since finishing third in the Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai on March 30. He has won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint the last two years.
