Joking improving, will continue recovery in California

Joking, the Grade 1 Vosburgh winner who was scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Sprint due to illness, remains at a Southern California clinic but is improving, according to owner-trainer Charlton Baker.

Baker said Joking is over the touch of pneumonia he developed shortly after shipping in to Southern California for the Breeders’ Cup. Baker said Joking would remain at the clinic for a few more days before relocating to a farm in California for a couple of months.

“He’s doing better,” Baker said. “He should be going to a farm any day. I want him to recover pretty good. I was going to give him time anyway.”

Baker said Joking prefers tracks with wider turns and wasn’t planning on running him this winter over Aqueduct’s inner track.

Baker said Joking would likely return to New York after Jan. 1 and get additional time off before training toward a campaign that could start over Aqueduct’s main track in April.