Work All Week’s arrival delayed

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Work All Week, the champion sprinter of 2014, was tentatively scheduled to arrive at Oaklawn the latter part of February, but due to the winter storm system that has gripped Arkansas, he’s now likely to ship to town in March, according to trainer Roger Brueggemann.

“He’s still in Florida because of the weather,” Brueggemann said.

Brueggemann said when the weather breaks in Arkansas, plans will be made to bring Work All Week to Oaklawn. The track lost its fifth program of the meet Friday.

“As soon as possible, we’ll get him here,” Brueggemann said. “I think we’ll probably fly him in here.”

Work All Week won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in his most recent start Nov. 1. He was freshened after the race and has since resumed training at a farm near Ocala, Fla. Brueggemann said Work All Week remains a candidate for the Grade 3, $300,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn on April 9.

“That’s what were shooting for,” he said. “We’ll have to let him tell us if he’s going to be ready or not.” Brueggemann said the ultimate objective for Work All Week is a defense of his title in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. The champion races for his breeder, Midwest Thoroughbreds.

The Pizza Man, a Grade 3 winner and earner of more than $800,000 who was third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar in his last start Nov. 27, could join Work All Week when he travels to Brueggemann’s division at Oaklawn. The Pizza Man is another homebred for Midwest Thoroughbreds.

“He’ll probably come,” Brueggemann said. “They’re both there together.”