Silver Train drills third bullet for Met Mile

ELMONT, N.Y. - Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Silver Train, a beaten favorite in his first two starts of the year, worked five furlongs in a sizzling 58.66 seconds at Aqueduct on Wednesday in preparation for the $600,000 Metropolitan Handicap on Memorial Day.

Silver Train finished seventh at even-money in the Richter Scale Handicap at Gulfstream Park, then shipped back to Aqueduct, where he ran second in an optional claimer at 1-2 after breaking through the gate prior to the start.

Wednesday's workout was the third straight bullet since that race for Silver Train, whose three best races were all victories at Belmont last year, including Beyer Speed Figures of 114 for the BC Sprint and a 110 for the Jerome Handicap.

"He loves Belmont, he'll be okay," said trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.

New York Hero and Love of Money, two other Dutrow-trained Met Mile nominees, also turned in five-furlong works at Aqueduct on Wednesday.

New York Hero, who returned from an eight-month layoff to win an optional claiming mile April 7 in his first start for Dutrow, worked in 59.69.

Love of Money, the pacesetter in last year's Met Mile, worked five furlongs in 1:00.62. Dutrow said Love of Money will only run if the track comes up wet.

Others eyeing the Met's 113th running are Bandini, 2 for 2 this season for Todd Pletcher; Mass Media, winner of last year's Grade 1 Forego Handicap; Sir Greeley, winner of the Westchester Handicap on opening day here; Sun King, a multiple graded stakes winner; and Wilko, the 2004 BC Juvenile winner who finished third in the Dubai World Cup last time out.

On the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga on Tuesday, Sun King breezed five furlongs in 59.98, the fastest of 10 works at the distance.

The Nick Zito-trained Sun King set the pace in the BC Classic the last time he ran at Belmont, but defied Keeneland's speed-favoring tendencies to upset the Grade 2 Commonwealth BC as a deep closer last month.

"I can't change [his style] now, not off that performance," said Zito. "When you get so far out of it over there, you just never recover."

Wilko was scheduled to arrive from England on Wednesday for trainer Jeremy Noseda, who indicated that Kent Desormeaux will have the mount.

Honey Ryder heads turf marathon

Honey Ryder will be the one to beat in Saturday's $150,000 Sheepshead Bay Handicap, scheduled for 1 3/8 miles on turf.

Since finishing fifth as the 2-1 choice in the Sheepshead Bay last year, Honey Ryder has won four stakes on four different turf courses, including a career-best effort to win the Orchid Handicap for the second year in a row.

Others likely for the Sheepshead Bay's 48th running are Angara, a close second in the race last year, and winner of the Beverly D., Asi Siempre, Latice, Noble Stella, and Tisket a Tasket, winner of an overnight stakes May 5.

Dynamite Lass is possible.

Sunday's feature is the $100,000 Jaipur Stakes, scheduled for the Widener turf at six furlongs.

Around the Cape, Blakelock, Introspect, Not Phone, Summer Service, War Plan, and possibly Watchmon are expected for the Jaipur.

Not Phone set the six-furlong inner turf course record of 1:07.89 in an optional claimer on May 4.

* In Friday's third race, a six-furlong allowance for nonwinners-of-three lifetime, Bernie White Shoes may have an edge in current form. The lone 3-year-old, Bernie White Shoes is fresh off a sharp allowance score over the track, and four of his five older rivals are returning from layoffs.

* Race 4 is a second-level allowance scheduled for 10 furlongs on the inner turf that pits Charmsil, third in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf, against Shared Dreams, a close fourth in the recent Bewitch at Keeneland.