Mind Your Biscuits sheds blinkers for final work before King's Bishop

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The addition of blinkers has been a major reason for the big strides Mind Your Biscuits has made over the past couple of months. But it was blinkers off here Friday when Mind Your Biscuits, the winner of the Grade 2 Amsterdam, turned in his final prep for next Saturday’s Grade 1 King’s Bishop.

Working in the fog, which shrouded part of the course, Mind Your Biscuits breezed an easy half-mile in 48.16 seconds shortly after 7 a.m. before galloping out five-eighths in 1:01.18, much to the delight of trainer Robert Falcone Jr.

“He did everything right,” said Falcone. “I really loved the way he galloped out. It was actually a double gallop-out, and I love when a horse gallops out even better than they worked. We kept the blinkers off today just to make sure he didn’t go too fast.”

Mind Your Biscuits won an entry-level allowance race for New York-breds by 9 1/4 lengths when equipped with blinkers for the first time July 4 at Belmont Park. He returned 26 days later with an even better effort, rallying up the rail under Joel Rosario to a convincing 1 3/4-length victory in the Amsterdam, giving his young trainer the first graded stakes win of his career.

“The blinkers and the fact he’s maturing are the two major reasons for the recent improvement,” said Falcone. “Everything seems to be going in the right direction at the moment, and I’m really excited about the idea of going for my first Grade 1 win next week.”

Mind Your Biscuits worked just moments after Sheer Drama completed her final prep for next Saturday’s Grade 1 Ballerina. With Joe Bravo aboard, Sheer Drama cruised away from the five-furlong pole in 14.20 seconds and then completed her final half-mile in 47.72 while under some urging to finish. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.92.

“Joe said she came back in his hands so fast when he broke from the pole that she relaxed almost more than normal,” trainer David Fawkes said. “But he said when he asked her to quicken, she jumped on the bridle right away. She galloped out strong, and when she came back, she wouldn’t blow out a match. I’m thrilled with the work.”

Sheer Drama will turn back to seven furlongs for just the fourth time in her career in the Ballerina. She opened the year by upsetting the Grade 1 Madison going seven furlongs at Keeneland before finishing third in the La Troienne and fifth in the Ogden Phipps, both races at 1 1/16 miles.

“Making one run at seven-eighths might just be her best game,” said Fawkes. “If everything goes right and she runs her race here, we’ll point her for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.”