Wildcat Red has final pre-Haskell work

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Wildcat Red turned in his final workout for the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on Sunday at Monmouth Park, galloping seven furlongs, working a half-mile, and galloping out an additional eighth of a mile.

Wildcat Red was very calm in his stall pre-work for Nick Galati, assistant to trainer Jose Garoffalo. With exercise rider Peter Shelton aboard, Wildcat Red came on the track accompanied by a pony, then galloped a leisurely seven furlongs before picking up the tempo. Wildcat Red was timed in 36.60 seconds for three furlongs by Garoffalo, with his final eighth in 10.80. Officially, Monmouth clockers credited him with a in 48.80 half,-mile and a five-furlong gallop-out in 1:02.40. The work was accomplished under minimum urging.

"He looks a lot better on this track than he did at Churchill [for the Kentucky Derby]," Garoffalo said after the work. "This was exactly what I wanted. I'm conservative in my training, and I didn't want him to go to fast."

When Garoffalo asked Shelton for his impression of the work after he dismounted, Shelton said, "You couldn't ask for anything better that that."

Fountain of Youth winner Wildcat Red is coming off an easy 10 1/4-length prep victory in the $90,000 Quality Road Stakes at Gulfstream Park and will be among the top contenders in next Sunday's $1 million Haskell.

As of Sunday morning, a field of nine was expected for the race. The brilliant filly Untapable is the likely favorite. Other horses expected to ship in for the 1 1/8-mile race are Bayern, Wildcat Red, Albano, Social Inclusion, and Medal Count.