Malathaat has first breeze toward CCA Oaks

ELMONT, N.Y. – Malathaat, the undefeated winner of the Kentucky Oaks, returned to the work tab for the first time in almost a month Thursday, breezing a half-mile in 50.58 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

Malathaat worked in company with Dynamic One, the Wood Memorial runner-up who finished 18th in the Kentucky Derby. It was Dynamic One’s first workout since the Derby.

Malathaat, who is 5 for 5, is training toward an expected start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24 at Saratoga.

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“Worked well, weren’t looking to do much,” said Todd Pletcher, who trains Malathaat for Shadwell Stable. “She was moving great, did it very willingly.”

Malathaat won the Kentucky Oaks narrowly over Search Results on April 30. Search Results won Saturday’s Grade 1 Acorn.

Once under consideration for the Belmont Stakes, Malathaat was withdrawn from consideration for that race shortly after she worked on May 13. Pletcher and the principles of Shadwell felt the filly had lost some weight and would benefit from skipping the Belmont and pointing to Saratoga where she will target the CCA Oaks and Grade 1 Alabama, scheduled for Aug. 21.

“She really hasn’t missed much training, just trying to put some weight on her,” Pletcher said. “Haven’t breezed her, but she’s pretty much galloped every day. She’s put on some weight, looks good. Very happy with her.”

Pletcher said he will keep Malathaat at Belmont for the foreseeable future, but move her up to Saratoga in time to have a work or two up there in advance of the CCA Oaks.

Meanwhile, Pletcher said Dynamic One could be pointed to an allowance race or the Curlin Stakes, scheduled for July 30 at Saratoga.

The Pletcher-trained Mahaamel, a 3-year-old son of Into Mischief, was a smart 3 1/4-length maiden winner of his second start on June 4. He ran seven furlongs in 1:22.46 and earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure. In his debut, Mahaamel was beaten three-quarters of a length by First Captain, who came back to win his first-level allowance condition.

“He’s always trained like a nice horse,” Pletcher said. “He was a little bit green in his debut, got a little bit lost on the lead. We worked him in blinkers, seemed to respond well, seemed more focused with them on in his second start. He gives us the impression that he’ll stretch out.”

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Pletcher said he would talk to Rick Nichols, Shadwell’s racing manager, about whether to try a race like the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer at a mile on July 5 or go a more conservative route with Mahaamel.

Pletcher is considering the Dwyer or the Grade 1 Haskell on July 17 at Monmouth for Following Sea, a most impressive first-level allowance winner here June 3.