Oscar Performance drills for Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

ELMONT, N.Y. – Watching Oscar Performance, trainer Brian Lynch sees a 3-year-old who is maturing and improving all the time.

On Saturday, Oscar Performance will face his sternest test to date when he takes on older horses for the first time in the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park. On Sunday, Oscar Performance put in his final workout for the Joe Hirsch, breezing five furlongs in 1:01.57 by himself over the inner turf course.

Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Oscar Performance got his final quarter in 23.15 seconds over very firm ground.

“He had a sharp five-eighths last week in company,” Lynch said. “We just wanted him to have a nice relaxed five-eighths this week going into it. The grunt work was done last week. We just wanted to let him stretch his legs and have a comfortable five-eighths with a nice gallop-out. It looked like that’s what we accomplished.”

Irad Ortiz worked the horse, but Jose Ortiz is Oscar Performance’s regular rider. Jose Ortiz was injured in a spill last Wednesday at Belmont Park, and tests showed he has a bruised knee. Jose Ortiz is named to ride horses starting Wednesday. He had an appointment with his doctor on Monday to seek clearance to ride.

The Joe Hirsch will not only be Oscar Performance’s first start against older horses, it will be his first try at 1 1/2 miles. He is coming off back-to-back Grade 1 victories at 1 1/4 miles in the Belmont Derby and Secretariat.

Lynch said the way Oscar Performance won the Secretariat and the way he’s trained since gives him confidence that the distance is within the colt’s scope.

“He’s gotten a lot more professional,” Lynch said. “Last week, he rated lovely off a horse, and we’ve seen him rate lovely off a horse in the Secretariat. I’ve seen a lot of seasoning coming his way, and he’s maturing into a nice, late 3-year-old, and I think he’s ready to take on older horses.”

Oscar Performance will take on a trio of runners from trainer Chad Brown’s barn – Beach Patrol, Fanciful Angel, and Money Multiplier – as well as Sword Dancer winner Sadler’s Joy.

On Sunday, Beach Patrol and Fanciful Angel, the 1-2 finishers from the Grade 1 Arlington Million, worked five furlongs in company in 1:00.22 over the Belmont turf course. The pair came home in 23.48 seconds.

“They worked great together,” Brown said. “For both horses, the mile and a half is a question mark. We do think it’s worth giving it a shot.”

Money Multiplier, second in the Sword Dancer, worked a half-mile in 49.43 seconds on Saturday over the Oklahoma dirt course at Saratoga. He vanned down to Belmont on Sunday.

Sadler’s Joy on Sunday worked five furlongs in 1:02.29 over the Belmont main track, getting his last quarter in 24.77 seconds.

The Joe Hirsch offers the winner a fees-paid berth in the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 4.

Others expected to be entered on Wednesday for the Joe Hirsch include Channel Maker, Erupt, Highland Sky, Hunter O’Riley, and either Zhukova or The Grey Gatsby from the barn of Dermot Weld.