Vodka Vodka under consideration for Pat O'Brien
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Vodka Vodka worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on Sunday, his third workout of the summer.
Vodka Vodka has not raced since he won the $250,000 Sunland Park Stakes at 1 1/8 miles in New Mexico on April 5. The 5-year-old gelding was later diagnosed with a bruised foot that kept him out of training for part of the spring.
Vodka Vodka is under consideration for the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 29 as a prep for the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 27, a race run as the Awesome Again Stakes in the past.
“It’s so great to have him back in training,” trainer Aggie Ordonez said. “He’s a horse that loves to train. With that bruised foot, he was miserable. He was pouting at the back of his stall. I’m taking it slow and steady.”
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On Friday at Del Mar, Ordonez has a 2-year-old first-time starter in Danielle in a maiden race restricted to runners that were sold or listed as bought back for $65,000 or less, or entered to be claimed for $65,000.
Danielle, who is not entered to be claimed, was purchased for $57,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in March. By Practical Joke, Danielle has had a steady pattern of workouts since mid-June. She is part of a field of 10 that consists of six runners with race experience and four first-time starters.
The race is headlined by Make Me Money, who has led or disputed the pace in two starts at Santa Anita and Del Mar before fading to finish third.