V. E. Day works, Wicked Strong rests

ELMONT, N.Y. – Stablemates V. E. Day and Wicked Strong were separated by just a nose in the Travers. Now, they are separated by several hundred miles.

On Tuesday, V. E. Day worked a half-mile in 49.89 seconds at Belmont Park as his connections decide where next to run him. On Wednesday, Wicked Strong shipped by van to Middleburg, Va., where his owner, Centennial Farms, has a farm for its young horses and layups.

According to Stephen Carr, the manager of horse operations for Centennial, Wicked Strong will get a couple of months of rest and relaxation before rejoining trainer Jimmy Jerkens at his barn in Palm Meadows in south Florida. Carr said there is no timetable for Wicked Strong’s return but mentioned races like the Westchester, Metropolitan Handicap, Whitney, and Breeders’ Cup Classic as logical objectives for 2015.

“We’ll give him a chance to be a good horse next year, and we’ll do it the old-fashioned way,” said Carr, meaning that Wicked Strong likely won’t run during the winter months.

Wicked Strong, the winner of the Wood Memorial and Jim Dandy Stakes, clipped heels with Moreno with about 4 1/2 furlongs left to run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup here Sept. 27. Wicked Strong escaped injury after his jockey, Rajiv Maragh, was unseated.

Meanwhile, V. E. Day, sixth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, is under consideration for either the Grade 3, $200,000 Discovery at 1 1/8 miles on dirt for 3-year-olds on Nov. 1 or the Grade 3, $250,000 Red Smith for 3-year-olds and up at 1 3/8 miles on turf. Both races are at Aqueduct.

“We don’t know what we’re going to do yet,” Jerkens said. “But he looks good.”

◗ Trainer Leah Gyarmati said Wednesday that Mike Smith will ride Wonder Gal in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Wonder Gal finished second in the Grade 1 Frizette with Cornelio Velasquez aboard. Maragh, injured in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, was supposed to ride Wonder Gal in the Frizette.