Malathaat works half-mile, Following Sea goes five furlongs

ELMONT, N.Y. - With both the main track and training track still wet from Friday and Saturday rain, Sunday morning’s worktab at Belmont Park wasn’t as busy as usual. Still, there were some big names - mostly from the barn of Todd Pletcher - among the 70 horses who put in timed workouts.

Undefeated Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat and Haskell-bound Following Sea led the Pletcher charge, both working over a Belmont Park training track that was labeled good.

Malathaat, working toward a start in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24 at Saratoga, worked a half-mile in 49.22 seconds in company with the older filly Thankful. Malathaat got her final quarter in 24.55 seconds and continued out five furlongs in 1:01.79 and six furlongs in 1:14.14.

“She’s doing great, she’s an easy horse to train,” Pletcher said. “We backed off her a little bit, she cooperated with that, picked it back up as soon as we asked her to. Everything’s gone according to plan so far.”

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Pletcher said Malathaat would have one more work at Belmont before heading to Saratoga.

Thankful, who at one time was under consideration for a turf race, is being pointed to the Grade 3, $250,000 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park on July 17.

Following Sea worked five furlongs in 1:00.78, getting his final quarter in 24.22 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.42. Following Sea, who worked in company with Dr Post, will make his two-turn debut in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth on July 17.

Pletcher said he and Spendthrift Farm opted for the Haskell over Monday’s Grade 3 Dwyer at a mile because of its timing and to find out sooner than later whether the son of Runhappy can handle two turns and 1 1/8 miles.

“If he likes two turns it’ll be good timing towards the Travers, if he doesn’t handle the two turns as well as we hope then it’s the same timing back to the Allen Jerkens,” Pletcher said.

The Travers, at 1 1/4 miles, and the H. Allen Jerkens, at seven furlongs, are both on Aug. 28 at Saratoga.

Pletcher said Dr Post, the Grade 3 Westchester winner who finished fifth in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, is under consideration for either the Monmouth Cup or the San Diego, at Del Mar. Both races are on July 17.

Sainthood, winner of the off-the-turf Pennine Ridge Stakes, worked a half-mile in 49.42 seconds in company with Mubarmaj, in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby. Con Lima, the Grade 3 Wonder Again winner, worked a half-mile in 50.44 seconds in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $700,000 Belmont Oaks.

Lastly, Colonel Liam, a two-time Grade 1 winner on turf this year, worked a half-mile in 50.23 seconds in company with Texas Swing. It was Colonel Liam’s first work since he finished eighth behind Domestic Spending in the Grade 1 Manhattan here on June 5.

Pletcher said Colonel Liam is pointing to the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green going 1 3/8 miles at Saratoga on July 31.