Untapable buckles down for work
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ELMONT, N.Y. – When Untapable worked at Belmont Park on May 18, trainer Steve Asmussen felt she was distracted.
On Monday, when Untapable worked again for the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps, she was all business. Last year’s champion 3-year-old filly, Untapable worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 with a strong gallop-out of six furlongs in 1:13 and seven-eighths in 1:27.60, according to Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Vesce.
To keep Untapable focused, Asmussen put jockey John Velazquez on her back and worked her in company with the colt Gold Hawk. The intent was to have Untapable follow Gold Hawk, but the filly got right up on her workmate nearly from the outset.
“I started a little far back, and he was going a little slow to the pole, and she got real aggressive,” Velazquez said. “I had to let her go a little bit. I started a half-length behind, I sat there until I got to the eighth pole and let her finish. She was very good today.”
Asmussen, at Belmont on Monday morning before catching a flight to Texas to saddle Tapiture in the Lone Star Park Handicap, said he was pleased with how Untapable got over the track.
“I set her up with some company, and I thought it worked out perfectly,” Asmussen said. “I liked how smooth she was, how well she went over the racetrack, how content she looked with where she was, how good they acted prework and everything.”
A little while after Untapable worked, Asmussen’s Kentucky Oaks runner-up, Shook Up, went five furlongs in 1:00.25 from the half-mile pole. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.63 and seven-eighths in 1:28.06.
Asmussen said he worked Shook Up by herself because in company “she easily will do too much.”
Asmussen confirmed that Robby Albarado, who rode Shook Up in the Kentucky Oaks, will ride the filly in the Acorn Stakes. Albarado had ridden Promise Me Silver to victory in the Eight Belles Stakes, a race that kept that filly undefeated in eight starts. Trainer Bret Calhoun said Mike Smith will ride Promise Me Silver in the Acorn.
Others pointing to the Acorn include Bar of Gold, Birdatthewire, Calamity Kate, Condo Commando, Curalina, Danzatrice, Miss Ella, and Wonder Gal. Trainer Bob Baffert could run one of three he has nominated: Luminance, Callback, or Enchanting Lady.