Undefeated Ted Noffey has first work of year; on track to make Fountain of Youth
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The undefeated Breeders’ Cup winner and soon-to-be-named Eclipse champion Ted Noffey was finally back on the work tab Friday when breezing an easy three furlongs in 37.01 seconds at the Palm Beach Downs training center. It was his first official work since putting a punctuation mark on his championship 2-year-old campaign with a one-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
“I thought he went super, he was on the bridle coming to the wire and we let him gallop out a half in 50.80 before shutting him down,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I’m very impressed by the way he’s doing and how well he’s maintained his fitness. The Fountain of Youth has been our target and right now it appears we’re in good shape to make that.”
The Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth will be run at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 28 at Gulfstream.
Pletcher also was pleased by the way another of his top 3-year-old prospects, Nearly, breezed Friday at Palm Beach Downs. Nearly went a half-mile in 50.20 in company with the impressive 3-year-old debut winner Class President. Nearly has won his last two starts, both locally, by a combined 14 1/4 lengths, earning a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for his eye-catching entry-level allowance victory going seven furlongs on Jan. 2.
“Nearly looked good this morning and seems to have come out of his last race well,” Pletcher acknowledged. “Right now, we are on target for the Holy Bull.”
The Grade 3, $250,000 Holy Bull will be decided at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 31.