Wit takes to turf in work; National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes possible spot

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Wit, a multiple graded stakes winner on dirt, could make his next start on grass after he breezed a sharp half-mile in 47.67 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course Friday morning.

With, a 3-year-old son of Practical Joke, worked inside of the 5-year-old mare Scotish Star. Wit got his final three furlongs in 35.07 seconds and galloped out a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.03 and six furlongs in 1:12.87.

“Looked to me like he took to the grass great,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “So, it opens up some options.”

Pletcher said the Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes going a mile on Aug. 5 might be the most logical option should he start on turf.

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Wit won the Sanford here last year and the Grade 3 Bay Shore by a nose at Aqueduct in April. Most recently, he finished fourth, 14 lengths behind Jack Christopher in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont.

Pletcher said that by looking at Wit’s female side of his pedigree “we were trying to make a case” for trying the grass.

“Sometimes you don’t know for sure until you put them out there, but it certainly seemed like he really enjoyed himself this morning,” Pletcher said.

Annapolis and Capensis, two proven turf runners, worked five furlongs in company in 1:00.93 over the Oklahoma turf. Annapolis, winner of the Manila Stakes at Belmont on July 4, is targeting the Grade 1, $1 million Saratoga Derby on Aug. 6. Capensis, a five-length debut winner on turf at Belmont on July 2, is a candidate for the Hall of Fame Stakes as well as a first-level allowance.