For Weekend Hideaway, age 7 is the new 4

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Weekend Hideaway, who had his best year yet in 2016 at the age of 6, is getting close to embarking on his 7-year-old campaign after working five furlongs in 1:00.53 here Wednesday under regular exercise rider Lisa Bartkowski.

Weekend Hideaway, a New York-bred son of Speightstown trained by Phil Serpe for the Red and Black Stable, won 3 of 7 starts, including a pair of stakes, while banking $303,000 last season. Overall, Weekend Hideaway has posted 11 victories from 36 tries for earnings of nearly $875,000. Although the majority of his success has come in his native New York, arguably the best effort of his career came locally when he captured the 2015 Sunshine Millions Sprint by four lengths, earning a 107 Beyer Speed Figure.

“Even at 7, he still looks like he’s got it,” Serpe said after Weekend Hideaway completed his work on Wednesday. “He had his best year last year when I gave him a breather during the winter, so we did the same thing again this time – kicked him out for six weeks just to get him out and let him enjoy the sun. Obviously, the majority of his opportunities this season will come in New York, but I’d really like to try to participate and run him here once before we head north. He’s still got a couple of more works to go yet before we make that decision. I’ll breeze him again next Wednesday and then maybe start looking for something then.”