Instant Coffee nearing return from long layoff

Instant Coffee, a graded stakes winner at 2 and 3, is nearing his return from an 11-month layoff, owner Al Gold said Friday. The horse is now with trainer Brittany Russell after having previously raced for Brad Cox.

On Thursday, Instant Coffee worked a half-mile in 48.45 seconds out of the gate at Palm Meadows. It was the fastest of 22 works at the distance and it was Instant Coffee’s seventh work since early December.

Gold said Irad Ortiz Jr. was aboard for the work, which was done in company with “a horse I paid way too much money for,” Gold said. “He put that horse away and it was a much improved work from a week ago.”

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Gold said he is hoping to run Instant Coffee in a race at Gulfstream Park in February.

Instant Coffee, a son of Bolt d’Or, won the Kentucky Jockey Club at 2 and the Lecomte at 3. After finishing sixth in the Louisiana Derby last March, Instant Coffee went to the sidelines with bone bruising, according to Gold.

Instant Coffee is among a handful of horses Gold has with Russell.

“I live in Florida eight months a year. I go to Palm Meadows to watch him train. I wanted most of my horses by me,” Gold said.

Highland Chief back on work tab

Highland Chief, winner of the Grade 1 Man o’ War in 2022, worked three furlongs in 39.60 seconds Friday over the Palm Meadows turf course.

It was his first work since he finished 12th of 13 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2022. Trainer Graham Motion said Highland Chief missed all of 2023 due to a tendon injury.

“We’ve been very patient with him,” Motion said. "He’s very classy. We’ve got a long way to go, but it’s kind of cool to have him back.”

In addition to winning the Man o’ War that year, Highland Chief, a 7-year-old Irish-bred son of Gleneagles, also won the Grade 3 Sycamore at Keeneland.

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