Toner eyes Keeneland turf stakes for two in his stable
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BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Jimmy Toner will take his nine-horse string from south Florida to Keeneland for the spring meet that begins April 7, and he has his eyes on a pair of stakes for two of his talented female turf runners.
Time and Motion, who won the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland last fall, is likely to make her seasonal debut in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley on April 15. On Sunday, Time and Motion breezed five furlongs in 59.45 seconds over the turf course at Palm Meadows. It was her fourth work since resuming training following a brief freshening on the farm.
“She’s come along quickly,” Toner said. “I didn’t expect her to come around so quickly.”
Time and Motion hasn’t run since she finished sixth in the Matriarch at Del Mar last Dec. 4.
Bellavais, the winner of the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream on Jan. 7, is pointing to the Grade 3, $125,000 Appalachian Stakes on April 13. On Monday, Bellavais worked a very strong half-mile in 47.17 seconds over the Palm Meadows turf course. She went her first eighth in 12.98 seconds and got her last quarter in 22.46 seconds.
“Perfect,” Toner said.
