No Dozing, Union Strike in sharp workouts

Among the standout breezers on a busy Monday morning at Saratoga were No Dozing and Union Strike, both preparing for Grade 1 stakes assignments on Aug. 25.

No Dozing, who came off a lengthy layoff to win an allowance race here on opening day, went five furlongs in 59.68 over the Oklahoma training track Monday morning in preparation for the Grade 1 Forego.

“I loved the breeze this morning,” trainer Arnaud Delacour said. “Between the time we gave him and the fact he’s now a gelding, probably both helped him a little. He ran decently enough last time to be able to give him a shot.”

Union Strike, who won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at age 2 when trained by Mick Ruis, worked five furlongs in 1:00.51 over the Oklahoma training track. She got her final quarter in 23.64 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.79 and seven furlongs in 1:27.42. She is preparing for a start in the Grade 1 Ballerina.

“She’s sharp all the time,” Asmussen said. “I think the Ballerina’s a great spot for her, an extremely significant race for an extremely significant mare.”

Union Strike came to Asmussen at the same time as the multiple Grade 1 winner Bolt d’Oro. Bolt d’Oro has mostly been jogging since he arrived in the barn in July, and Asmussen said he has no immediate plans for the 3-year-old colt.

◗ On Thursday, the 2-year-old filly Mineshaft Blues will make her career debut in the last race, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for New York-bred maidens. Mineshaft Blues is owned in part by Steve Crist, the former publisher of Daily Racing Form. She is trained by Phil Gleaves.