Saratoga: It's Tricky, Inglorious gearing up for Alabama showdown

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It’s Tricky and Inglorious, among the leaders of North America’s 3-year-old filly division, tuned up for a showdown in the Grade 1, $500,000 Alabama Stakes here Aug. 20 by putting in workouts Saturday morning over their respective home tracks.

At Saratoga, It’s Tricky breezed four furlongs in 49.21 seconds about 5:45 a.m. It was her first workout since she won the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks here July 23. Prior to that, It’s Tricky won the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont on June 11.

With exercise rider Rob Massey in the irons, It’s Tricky went her first eighth in 13.00 seconds, the quarter in 24.83, and got her second quarter in 24.48. She galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.63.

“She was on the bridle training, galloped out well, we’re happy,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin said It’s Tricky will have one more work, most likely next Saturday, before the Alabama, which is run at 1 1/4 miles.

Meanwhile, at Woodbine in Canada, Inglorious, who defeated males in the Queen’s Plate in her last start, worked six furlongs in 1:13.20 over that track’s all-weather surface. It was her fourth work since she won the Queen’s Plate on June 26, her third consecutive victory.

“We gave her a couple of easy weeks and then we slowly built her back up,” trainer Josie Carroll said “One more work, and we’re on track.”

Carroll said that she has not yet decided whether that work will be at Woodbine or Saratoga.

Rattlesnake Bridge drills for Travers

About three hours after It’s Tricky breezed, McLaughlin’s top 3-year-old colt, Rattlesnake Bridge, worked five furlongs in 1:02.56 in preparation for a start in the $1 million Travers Stakes here Aug. 27.

Rattlesnake Bridge, winner of the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park in his last start, worked in company with Gallant Fields. Under Danny Wright, Rattlesnake Bridge, started a length behind Gallant Fields but quickly joined his stablemate after an opening eighth in 13.13. He went a quarter in 25.22, three-eighths in 37.07, and got his last quarter in 25.49, finishing about three lengths in front at the wire.

“He worked well, a maintenance work, we’re ready to go,” McLaughlin said. “We’ll have two more works. He wants the [1 1/4-mile distance]. The timing is good, all is well.”

◗ Trainer D. Wayne Lukas ended an 0-for-26 start to the meet when Optimizer ($57) rallied down the outside part of the Mellon turf course to win Saturday’s second race by a neck over Longwood Lane, trained by Lukas’s former assistant and now Saratoga kingpin Todd Pletcher.

Coincidentally, Optimizer is a son of English Channel, whom Pletcher trained.