Yoshida possible for Whitney

A year ago, Good Samaritan made his dirt debut a winning one, defeating Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and Preakness winner Cloud Computing in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga.

Now, those same connections – trainer Bill Mott and an ownership group that includes WinStar Farm and China Horse Club – are considering a similar surface switch with the 4-year-old Yoshida.

Yoshida, a Japanese-bred son of Heart’s Cry who most recently finished fifth in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, could make his dirt debut in the Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 4, trainer Bill Mott said Sunday.

“As long as he stays healthy there’ll be a dirt race on his dance card somewhere,” Mott said. “He’s by a son of Sunday Silence out of a stakes-winning mare on the dirt and works nicely on it.”

Yoshida’s dam is Hilda’s Passion, a five-time graded stakes winner on dirt including the Grade 1 Ballerina in 2011.

On Sunday, Yoshida worked a half-mile over the Oklahoma training track in 50.28 seconds, going his first quarter in 26.68 seconds and his last quarter in 23.60. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.50.

It was Yoshida’s first work since he finished fifth in the Queen Anne, beaten only 1 1/4 lengths. Earlier this year, he won the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.

Mott said Yoshida will also be nominated to the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, a mile turf race here on Aug. 11.

Whatever race Yoshida runs in, Good Samaritan will likely run in the other, Mott said. Good Samaritan is a Grade 2 stakes winner on turf and dirt. Earlier this year, he won the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap on dirt and, most recently, finished seventh in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.

On Monday, Good Samaritan worked a half-mile in 49.09 seconds, getting his last three furlongs in 36.11 over the Oklahoma training track. He worked in company with Commend.

– additional reporting by Mike Welsch