Takaful sharp in final drill for BC Sprint

ELMONT, N.Y. – Takaful, the Grade 1 Vosburgh winner, worked a sharp half-mile in 46.66 seconds Friday morning over the Belmont Park training track in preparation for a start in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 4. It was the fastest by 1.36 seconds of 46 works recorded over a fast training track.

Takaful, who worked at 10 a.m., had about a sixteenth of a mile run-up to the half-mile pole after he left a pony that had accompanied him to the track. Takaful, under exercise rider Eduardo Delgado, went his first eighth in 11.66 seconds and the opening quarter in 22.73 seconds. He came a path or two off the rail for the stretch and got his final quarter in 23.93 seconds. Takaful galloped out five furlongs in 59.98 seconds and six furlongs in 1:14.57.

“Forty-six-and-three on this track is pretty fast,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “But he’s a fast horse. I’m happy that he worked very well. He’s ready.”

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Takaful, a 3-year-old, will be going up against defending BC Sprint winner and reigning sprint champion Drefong, as well as Grade 1 winners Mind Your Biscuits and Roy H and the streaking Imperial Hint.

“All those horses do is win,” McLaughlin said. “It’s tough. We’re a 3-year-old, but he’s in good form, doing great and we’re happy that we’re in the race and we’ll see what happens.”

It’s possible Takaful could simply jog into the race. Takaful was expected to walk Saturday and rain is forecast Sunday and Monday, creating the potential for wet tracks at Belmont. Takaful flies to Southern California on Tuesday, and McLaughlin said the horse would walk Wednesday and jog at Del Mar Thursday and Friday.

“We hope to get a gallop in Monday or Tuesday before he goes, but who knows?” McLaughlin said.

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