SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Shug McGaughey wasn’t ready to declare Mr Speaker a definite starter for the $1.25 million Travers just yet, but he certainly sounded like he was headed in that direction after watching his 3-year-old work a solid five furlongs in 59.72 seconds over Saratoga’s main track Saturday.
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DEL MAR, Calif. – Red Outlaw, who remained unbeaten in four starts with a one-length win in Friday’s $201,000 Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar, will start around two turns for the first time in the $100,000 El Cajon Stakes for 3-year-olds over a mile Aug. 29.
“That race seems to make the most sense,” trainer Peter Miller said Saturday.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Albert’s Hope, who won the 2013 Best Pal Stakes, is nearing a comeback after an absence of nearly a year.
On Friday at Los Alamitos, Albert’s Hope worked five furlongs in 1:01.40. A gelding owned by Jason Tackitt, Albert’s Hope has been working on a regular basis since late June.
Albert’s Hope has not raced since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity last September, his only loss in a three-race career. Trainer Mike Puype said Albert’s Hope was sidelined last fall with minor injuries.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Fashion Plate, the winner of two Grade 1 races at Santa Anita this year, worked a half-mile in 46.80 seconds Saturday. For now, she is a candidate for the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks over 1 1/8 miles on turf Aug. 16.
No turf racing was held at Del Mar over the weekend, and turf racing will not resume until this coming Saturday because of a series of breakdowns and concern over the firmness of the course. Trainer Simon Callaghan said he is hopeful that the issues that have plagued the course will be resolved through a track maintenance program this week.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Silver Max recently arrived at Saratoga from Kentucky and immediately showed a fondness for his new surroundings, working a strong half-mile in 48.28 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course in preparation for the $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap.
With jockey Robby Albarado in the irons, Silver Max went his first quarter-mile in 24.32 seconds and got his final quarter in 23.96 while permitted to work inside of the dogs, orange cones that usually keep turf workers to the outside. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.35.
Even as Princess of Sylmar was winning four consecutive Grade 1 races last year and compiling a bankroll that is now more than $2 million, trainer Todd Pletcher felt at times that the filly wasn’t giving her all.
Now that Princess of Sylmar has lost two consecutive Grade 1 stakes, Pletcher feels the time is right to make a change that he hopes will help the filly return to her winning ways.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Wise Dan didn’t work a bullet or do anything fancy by his standards, although trainer Charlie LoPresti was all smiles back at the barn about 90 minutes after the two-time Horse of the Year breezed an easy five furlongs in 1:02.13 over the main track shortly after the renovation break here Saturday.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome had the first workout of his comeback at Los Alamitos on Friday, a quarter-mile breeze through the stretch.
Unraced since finishing in a dead heat for fourth in the Belmont Stakes on June 7, California Chrome was timed in 25 seconds, according to trainer Art Sherman, who caught the colt galloping out three furlongs in 37 and change.
California Chrome showed the most interest at the end of the workout, Sherman said.
The complexion of the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes changed drastically Friday evening when it was learned that heavy favorite Moonshine Mullin would have to scratch from the race with "a bit of an issue," according to his trainer, Randy Morse.
Moonshine Mullin was expected to be on the lead in the Governor's. That task will now fall to Carve, who also becomes the likely favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Governor's, and Outbacker, who won a second-level optional claimer at Mountaineer in his last start.
Trainer Randy Morse made the trip from Louisville to Mountaineer Park on Friday but he only brought one of the two horses he entered on Saturday’s West Virginia Derby card.
Morse will be running No Distinction in the $100,000 West Virginia Chairman’s Cup at Mountaineer but he left his Grade 1 winner Moonshine Mullin behind in Louisville. Moonshine Mullin would have been a heavy favorite in Saturday’s $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Cup.