Manhattan Dan works for Royal Ascot sprint

ELMONT, N.Y. – The 3-year-old Manhattan Dan worked a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.63 over the Belmont training track on Thursday.

Manhattan Dan, trained by Gary Contessa, is being pointed to a turf sprint at the Royal Ascot meet in England in June. He is likely to run in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup going six furlongs against 3-year-olds on June 17 but is also nominated to the King’s Stand Stakes going five furlongs against older horses on June 14.

“I would say we’re leaning toward the three-quarter race against straight 3-year-olds, but the five-eighths race is a tempting race because we know he’s awful good at five-eighths,” Contessa said.

Manhattan Dan is 2 for 2 in five-furlong turf stakes this year, including a victory in the Fisher Island at Gulfstream on April 8. After working a half-mile in 47.35 seconds at Palm Meadows on April 18, Manhattan Dan shipped to New York, where he will continue his training until he leaves for England on May 27.

Manhattan Dan works on dirt “like a damn good horse,” Contessa said. In his lone try on dry dirt, Manhattan Dan finished third in the Grade 2 Futurity at Belmont last fall.

Contessa said either Javier Castellano or Joel Rosario would ride Manhattan Dan at Royal Ascot.