Kaplan's stakes runners sharp in workouts

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Bill Kaplan was all smiles after training hours here Saturday morning, and well he should have been after watching several of his stable stars turn in sharp workouts over a main track that had finally dried out after a week of rain.

The best of the Kaplan workers was his 2-year-old filly Naval Command, who breezed five furlongs in 59.80 seconds with jockey Juan Leyva aboard shortly after daybreak. Naval Command, a winner of three of her four starts, including the grassy Happy Ticket Stakes at Louisiana Downs, completed her final quarter in 24.29 while well in hand before galloping out a strong six furlongs in 1:13.27 and pulling up seven-eighths in 1:27.33.

“The objective with this filly was to get her to run within herself this morning, and that’s exactly what she did,” said Kaplan. “Juan tried to get her to rate, and she did it beautifully. She’s always been a filly with a lot of talent. Her only problem was between her ears because she wouldn’t relax in the morning or in her races. That was the purpose of sending her to Louisiana, to see if she’d relax going two turns, and we saw a really big improvement in her in that race.”

Kaplan said Naval Command will make her next start in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland on Oct. 3.

Kaplan’s top 3-year-old, East Hall, followed right on Naval Command’s heels, working five panels in 58.77, his final quarter in 23.77 under pressure, before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.12.

“It was a little quicker than I needed him to work, but he finished strong,” said Kaplan. “Actually, he was strong all the way.”

East Hall will make his next start in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby next Saturday at Indiana Grand.

“He got shut off when he was making his move in Louisiana,” said Kaplan. “This is the last 3-year-old derby of the year, and he deserves another shot in it.”

East Hall won the Ohio Derby at ThistleDown this summer before finishing a troubled sixth earlier this month in the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

Kaplan also sent out Holiday Magic and his 2-year-old filly Moment of Delight to work five furlongs after the break. Holiday Magic was entered in and scratched from the Wasted Tears Stakes on turf later Saturday and will instead start in the Indiana Oaks. Moment of Delight, beaten a nose in the Susan’s Girl division of the Florida Sire Series, will be among the favorites here Saturday in the 1 1/16-mile My Dear Girl Stakes.