Mr Speaker targets Pennine Ridge

Mr Speaker, the winner of the Lexington Stakes over Keeneland’s Polytrack, will make his next start in the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes going 1 1/8 miles over the turf course at Belmont Park on May 26.

Trainer Shug McGaughey said he has not ruled out running Mr Speaker on dirt later in the year, but he will use the Pennine Ridge as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Belmont Derby on July 5.

In his first work since the Lexington, Mr Speaker worked four furlongs in 48.93 seconds over the dirt at Belmont last Saturday.

Prado returns at Gulfstream

Jockey Edgar Prado, who sustained a hairline fracture of his C7 vertebra during a training accident at Keeneland on April 10, is expected to return to action Saturday at Gulfstream Park. He will ride Risk Factor in the $75,000 Big Drama Stakes.

Prado, 46, has been getting on horses at Belmont Park since Monday and hopes to begin riding here on a regular basis next week.

Prado said he’s feeling “great. It’s always nice to come back.”