Joking, 9, back working for Baker

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Joking, who hasn’t run since winning the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont in 2016, has worked three times in two weeks as he attempts to return to the races as a 9-year-old later this spring.

On Monday, Joking worked a half-mile in 49.75 seconds over the Belmont Park training track. He had a pair of three-furlong works before then.

“So far, he’s been going good, he’ll work again this Saturday,” trainer and owner Charlton Baker said.

After winning the Vosburgh, Joking was scheduled to run in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in November 2016. But he got sick and was forced to miss the race. The illness got worse – he eventually had pneumonia – and he remained in California for several months.

Baker tried to bring Joking back to the races last year, but he popped a splint bone and needed additional time off. Baker said he will continue to monitor Joking’s progress with the hopes of getting him back to the races at the Belmont spring meet. Joking has run his best races at Belmont.

“We’ll find out as we go further along, if he’s not acting like he wants to run he’s going to be retired,” Baker said. “I’d like to run him a couple of times and then call it a career.”

◗ Cloud Computing, last year’s Preakness winner, had his first local workout here Sunday, breezing a half-mile in 49.75.

Trainer Chad Brown said Cloud Computing is possible for the Westchester at Belmont Park on May 5.

Cloud Computing has not run since finishing eighth in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga last August.