Sharp Azteca works six furlongs in Cigar Mile prep

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - On the list of places to stop on the way from New York to Southern California, south Florida would have to rank among the least convenient. But when it comes to trying to win a Grade 1 race, convenience takes a backseat to business.

So, bright and early Saturday morning, Javier Castellano found himself at Gulfstream Park West, where he worked Sharp Azteca six furlongs in 1:13 in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct. Castellano, who rode at Aqueduct on Friday, flew to south Florida Friday night.

Following Saturday’s work, Castellano headed to the airport, where he was scheduled to fly to San Diego to ride six horses at Del Mar, including Channel Maker in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby.

“Hopefully, I can sleep a little on the plane,” Castellano said by phone Saturday morning before getting on that flight.

Castellano is good friends with Ivan Rodriguez, the owner of Sharp Azteca and who asked Castellano to come and work Sharp Azteca. Castellano had never before been on Sharp Azteca, who is coming off a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Castellano said he liked how Sharp Azteca felt Saturday morning.

“He did it the right way,’ Castellano said. “I didn’t want to squeeze the lemon too much because he ran in the Breeders’ Cup and it’s close to the Cigar Mile. We were not looking for a bullet work, just looking for something to maintain the horse; a nice breeze, and that’s exactly what he did. He galloped out very strong.”

In his last start in New York, Sharp Azteca won the Grade 2 Kelso, a one-turn mile, by four lengths at Belmont Park. In the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, a two-turn mile at Del Mar, Sharp Azteca set all the fractions before yielding late to Battle of Midway, losing by a half-length.

Jorge Navarro, Sharp Azteca's trainer, said his horse came out of the Dirt Mile “pretty tired,” but said the horse has bounced back.

“It was the first time I’ve seen him where he showed me signs of getting tired,” Navarro said. “It’s that time of the year. We brought him over here and his batteries are recharged. He looks better than before the Breeders’ Cup, put on weight. Javier said he was amazed the way the horse worked today.”

Sharp Azteca is scheduled to ship to New York by plane Tuesday. He will be based at Aqueduct, where he will get to train three mornings before the race.

At Belmont on Saturday morning, Practical Joke, likely the second choice in the Cigar Mile, worked five furlongs in 1:02.41, getting his last three furlongs in 36.88 seconds. He galloped-out six furlongs in 1:15.44 and seven furlongs in 1:29.45.

Practical Joke finished fourth in the BC Dirt Mile. The Cigar Mile will be the final start of his career before he goes to stud at Ashford in 2018.

“I thought he had a steady five-eighths and should be ready to go,” trainer Chad Brown said. “He’s been sound, training well; I don’t see any reason not to run him."

Catholic Boy completes Remsen prep

Catholic Boy, the fourth-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, worked four furlongs in 49.82 seconds Saturday morning over the Belmont Park training track in preparation for a start in next Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct.

With jockey Manny Franco up, Catholic Boy began his work about a length behind the Todd Pletcher-trained maiden Marconi. They joined at the quarter pole after an opening quarter in 26.02 seconds. Catholic Boy got his final quarter in 23.80 seconds while finishing a length in front of Marconi. Catholic Boy galloped-out five furlongs in 1:02.44, six furlongs in 1:15.26.

“It was a half the right way - starting off easy finishing up the last quarter strong,” said trainer Jonathan Thomas, who flew in from Florida to oversee the work. “The gallop-out seemed very solid and I liked the fact he was traveling very comfortably on the bridle. It was kind of a mirror image of last week’s work where it was a very methodic kind of gallop-out all the way down the backside, which I guess confirms our faith in him to get a route of ground.”

The Remsen will be Catholic Boy’s first start on dirt.

** Flora Dora, preparing for a start in next Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Go for Wand, worked a bullet half-mile in 45.54 seconds Saturday morning over the Belmont Park training track. It was the fastest of 78 moves at the distance.

Two of her rivals, Going for Broke and Jayson n’ Ginger, worked five furlongs together in 1:01.35 over the Belmont main track. The two went off in 37.17 seconds and came home in 24.18 while galloping-out six furlongs in 1:15.35. Both fillies are trained by Chad Brown.