Saratoga: Flashpoint lost shoe in King’s Bishop

Uncle Mo wasn’t the only horse that lost a shoe in Saturday’s Grade 1 King’s Bishop.

Flashpoint, the 5-2 second choice who dueled with Runflatout and Poseidon’s Warrior through fractions of 22.23 seconds and 44.92 before finishing fifth, lost his left front shoe, trainer Wesley Ward said Monday at Aqueduct. Ward said the foot was a “little tender” but once treated with hot water and Epsom salts “will come around real fast.”

Ward said that having the rail may have compromised Flashpoint’s chances in the King’s Bishop.

“That one hole kind of got us to where we’re sort of committed to go or try something new and take him back,” Ward said. “But taking him back from the one hole is obviously different than when you get an outside post and you’re not getting any dirt in your face. Cornelio [Velasquez] warmed him up real strong, so he was ready to go when the man said go. We put the other two speeds away, but when the running started he didn’t. Also, seven furlongs is a tough distance to win flag-fall to finish.”

Ward said that owner John Fort wants to target the $250,000 Gallant Bob, a six-furlong race restricted to 3-year-olds at Parx on Sept. 24.

Boys At Tosconova has fourth work

Boys At Tosconova, last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful winner, worked four furlongs in 49.99 seconds Monday morning at Aqueduct, his fourth work since returning to trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.’s barn in July. Boys At Tosconova has not run since finishing second to Uncle Mo in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.

“He’s his old self, he’s good,” Dutrow said. “He’s training good; no kind of problems there right now.”

Dutrow said Boys At Tosconova is four to five weeks away from being able to make it to back to the races, which would make him ready to run in the first week in October.

“I haven’t thought of a race for him, but he should be close in four or five weeks,” Dutrow said.

One 3-year-old Dutrow does have a race in mind for is Redeemed, runner-up to Caleb’s Posse in the Grade 2 Amsterdam earlier this month. Dutrow will attempt to stretch Redeemed out around two turns in next Monday’s $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Parx Racing.

Thus far, Redeemed has run five times, but not further than seven furlongs.

“I’m hoping he’s looking for two turns,” Dutrow said.

On Monday, Redeemed breezed six furlongs in 1:14.22 over Aqueduct’s main track.