Ruler On Ice and Pants On Fire went in lockstep in a half-mile workout between races Sunday at Monmouth Park, after which trainer Kelly Breen pronounced both 3-year-olds ready to go next Sunday in the $1 million Haskell Invitational.

Head-and-head throughout, the pair went in 47.60 seconds over a fast track in completing their main preparations for the Grade 1 Haskell. The colts were separated by a nose on the wire, with Pants On Fire and jockey Elvis Trujillo on the inside and Ruler On Ice and jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. on the outside.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s top older sprinter, Trappe Shot, worked four furlongs in 48.20 seconds ion Sunday at Saratoga in company with Gallant Dreams in preparation for a start in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap on Aug. 7.

"He galloped out well, looked great doing it, just what we wanted,’’ McLaughlin said. "We’ll do this again next Sunday, weather permitting. We like where we are.’’

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -  It’s Tricky came out of her hard-fought three-quarter length victory over Plum Pretty in Saturday’s Coaching Club American Oaks tired but otherwise none the worse for wear and will be pointed to the Grade 1, $500,000 Alabama Stakes here on Aug. 20, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Sunday.

 Meanwhile, Bob Baffert, trainer of Plum Pretty, said he had not yet decided whether the Kentucky Oaks winner would stay in New York for the Alabama or return to Southern California.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The new connections of Sidney’s Candy are weighing their options for their five-time stakes winning 4-year-old colt. The Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap Invitational here on Aug. 6 has dropped to the bottom of the list.

 After working for the last five weeks on the dirt, Sidney’s Candy on Sunday worked on the turf, blitzing five furlongs in 57.54 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course. He galloped out six furlongs in an eye-popping 1:09.43.

Celtic Princess was scratched from Saturday’s Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes against males in favor of a start against her own sex in the $250,000 John Mabee Stakes over 1 1/8 miles o turf on Aug. 14, trainer A.C. Avila said.

Santa Anita is tentatively scheduled to reopen its track for full training, including timed workouts, on Thursday, following a two-week project to change the soil composition of the sand-and-clay track.

The track was closed after training on July 11 to reduce clay content and add sand. The project was scheduled to be completed in time for training to resume on Tuesday.

ALTOONA, Iowa —In a solid exhibition of class and stamina, Worldly ($5.60) cruised home by four lengths to take the $100,000 Prairie Meadows Handicap on Saturday evening.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Shackleford sharpened for his role as the likely favorite in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park by breezing five furlongs over a fast track in a swift 58.60 seconds on a hot, humid Sunday morning at Churchill Downs.

Shackleford, the 2011 Preakness winner, is scheduled to ship overnight Monday and arrive early Tuesday at Monmouth in Oceanport, N.J., where the annual meet highlight, the Grade 1 Haskell, will be run next Sunday, July 31.

Welcome to Spa Babies! I'll break down the statistics for every juvenile contest at the meet and hope for a tidy profit.

In past years, I would list the stats for each horse before writing up my analysis, selections and wagering strategy. In order to streamline the content, this year's Spa Babies will showcase written analyses of each juvenile race. Each analysis will include relevant statistical information. Following the analysis, top three selections and wagering strategy will be provided.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Welcome to Spa Babies! I'll break down the statistics for every juvenile contest at the meet and hope for a tidy profit.

In past years, I would list the stats for each horse before writing up my analysis, selections and wagering strategy. In order to streamline the content, this year's Spa Babies will showcase written analyses of each juvenile race. Each analysis will include relevant statistical information. Following the analysis, top three selections and wagering strategy will be provided.

Sunday, July 24, 2011