United works right back for John Henry

ARCADIA, Calif. – United will seek to make amends for his lone loss this year when he starts as a heavy favorite on Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship, a 1 1/4-mile grass race for which he tuned up on Wednesday morning at Santa Anita with a three-furlong drill in 37.20 seconds under his regular rider, Flavien Prat.

The work came just five days after United worked six furlongs here in 1:14.80,

“Just wanted to sharpen him up,” said his trainer, Richard Mandella. “Just needed to add a little more to his work the other day.”

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United won his first three starts this year before a narrow defeat in his most-recent start, the Del Mar Handicap. All four of those races were Grade 2 stakes.

A small field was expected for the John Henry, which is the final prep for United for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Nov. 7 at Keeneland. United finished second in last year’s BC Turf at Santa Anita to Bricks and Mortar, the 2019 Horse of the Year.