Stall eager to run Departing in Whitney
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though Departing has never raced at Saratoga, his trainer, Al Stall, believes the grand-looking 4-year-old colt really thrives up here. It was hard to argue that point Friday morning after Departing worked a strong five furlongs in 1:00.02 over the main track.
Departing is preparing for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Whitney Handicap here Aug. 2.
“He loves New York,” Stall said. “I noticed that last year. He didn’t run here, but he ran well training here. I’m dying to run him in New York.”
Departing trained at Saratoga last summer and shipped from here to win the West Virginia Derby by 8 3/4 lengths. After coming back to train at Saratoga, he shipped to Louisiana and won the Super Derby by four lengths.
In Friday’s work, Departing, under jockey Robby Albarado, started three lengths behind stablemate Bryon’s Pop, an unraced 3-year-old maiden, and glided past that horse inside the sixteenth pole to win the work by two lengths.
“It was his setup work for the Whitney. Normal routine; we tried to hit a minute, we got right there,” Stall said. “Robby said the hairs were standing up on his back at the sixteenth pole. That’s all I needed to hear.”