** To watch video of Fly Down's work for the Jim Dandy please visit: http://www.youtube.com/nyravideo#p/a/u/0/UVGT826GBOo
To watch video of Forever Together, Phola and Proviso working on the
Also see attached photo of
Monday, July 26, 2010
Contact: NYRA Press Office
(518) 584-6200, ext. 4237
- Fly Down, Aikenite, Friend Or Foe, A Little Warm tune up for Jim Dandy
- Diana probables take to
- Plans undecided for Maybesomaybenot
- Quality Road works 59.97 for Whitney
- Terranova trio breezes
- Get Stormy puts in five furlongs for Fourstardave
Going out on the Oklahoma Training Track after the second break, the chestnut son of Mineshaft covered the four furlongs in 47.30, fastest of 73 at the distance.
"It was exactly what I wanted," said Hall of Famer Nick Zito, who trains Fly Down for Richard C. Pell. "He's coming off a 1 ½ mile race and you have to do things like that. Obviously, we know his fitness level. We're hoping he's a little sharp for the race. He's a very good horse. He looks good."
Fly Down was one of a number of Jim Dandy hopefuls breezing at the Spa Monday morning for the 1 1/8th mile race. Also working were A Little Warm, Aikenite, and Friend Or Foe, all of whom went on the main track after the renovation break.
A Little Warm, the Spectacular Bid winner who is 2-2-0 from four starts this year, went five furlongs in 1:00.05, according to NYRA clockers.
"I don't think I could be any happier with him," said trainer Tony Dutrow of Edward Evans' homebred Stormin Fever colt, who most recently came off a three-month layoff to win an allowance at
Aikenite, who rallied from last to score a two-length victory in a one-mile allowance at
"As a younger horse, he wasn't a particularly ambitious work horse, and to me, he's gotten more aggressive," said trainer Todd Pletcher of the Dogwood Stable color-bearer. "We're still trying to find his best distance. This will be a race that determines what he's going to do down the road.
"He did very well at a one-turn mile; whether that's going to translate into a top-class mile and an eighth effort that's what we're getting ready to find out."
The undefeated Friend Or Foe, an impressive winner over General Maximus and Ibboyee in the Mike Lee at
"It looked like he was just galloping, which freaks me out a little," said John Kimmel, who trains the 3-0-0
Also likely for the Jim Dandy, according to Andrew Byrnes, stakes coordinator for The New York Racing Association, Inc., (NYRA) are Gainesway Stable's Afleet Express, Mrs. John Magnier's Steinbeck, and Majesty Stud's Stormy Majesty. Questionable are Robert V. LaPenta's Miner's Reserve, who worked a half-mile in 48.80 Monday morning, and Fox Hill Farms' Winslow Homer.
* * *
Four fillies and mares targeting Saturday's Grade 1 Diana worked out on the Oklahoma Turf Course Monday morning.
With exercise rider Danielle Hodsdon aboard, Forever Together prepared for her attempt to win the Diana for the third consecutive year with a 59.60 bullet breeze around dogs.
"I'll say it was a successful operation," said Jonathan Sheppard, who trains the gray 6-year-old mare for George Strawbridge's Augustin Stable.
Forever Together is winless in five starts since winning last year's Diana but remains in good form, having never finished outside the trifecta during that span. She has raced twice in 2010, finishing second in the Grade 2 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland in April and the Grade 1 Gamely at
Following her runner-up effort in the Gamely and prior to her arrival in
"Today was her fourth morning of training here," noted Sheppard. "I took her to Presque Isle because we had a drought on the farm. She seems to enjoy training on the Tapeta."
Also breezing five furlongs were Proviso and My Princess Jess, the first- and third-place finishers in the Grade 1 Just a Game on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Proviso negotiated five furlongs in 1:03.40, while My Princess Jess covered the distance two-fifths of a second faster than the Just a Game winner.
"I was real happy with it," said trainer Bill Mott following Proviso's breeze.
Phola, second in the Just a Game, worked four furlongs on the Oklahoma Turf in 48.35, handily.
"Phola did a solid maintenance work and acts like she's ready to go," said trainer Todd Pletcher. "I think [the Diana field] is what you would expect in a Grade 1 race at
Shared Account and Dynaslew – first and second in the Grade 3 All Along at Colonial Downs June 19 – are also probable for the Diana, according Byrnes.
* * *
Maybesomaybenot came out of his victory in yesterday's Grade 2 Sanford in good order according to his trainer, Michael Maker.
Where the juvenile will race next will be determined at a later date, with the Grade 1 Three Chimneys Hopeful on Labor Day serving as one attractive option.
"Anything is possible," said Maker.
Maybesomaybenot is the sole horse of racing age owned by Arthellor and Carolyn Scisney, and their daughter-in-law, Karen, to whom they gave a 25-percent interest in the gelding as she battles lupus.
"They're a great couple," said Maker. "It's their only horse. They're very deserving."
* * *
Quality Road, the top older male in training, continued preparations for the Grade 1 Whitney on August 7 with what trainer Todd Pletcher termed a "spectacular" five-furlong move in a bullet 58.97 over the main track Monday morning in company with stablemate Exhi.
"I thought it was spectacular," said Pletcher. "The horse is in unbelievable form right now. It's amazing to see how effortlessly he can do things like he did this morning."
Quality Road has won all three of his starts this year, including the Grade 1 Met Mile and Grade 1 Donn Handicap.
"So far he has maintained the same level," said Pletcher of the colt, owned by Edward P. Evans. "Trying to keep a horse at top level over a long period is hard to do, but with the way we've spaced his races, we've been able to do so."
* * *
Stakes winners Franny Freud, Wall Street Wonder and General Maximus all breezed Monday for trainer John Terranova as they look toward their next starts.
The New York-bred Franny Freud put in her second timed work – five furlongs in 59.28, third fastest of 72 at the distance on the main track – since winning the Grade 1 Prioress at Belmont Park on July 4 and is on track for a planned run in the Grade 1 Test on August 7.
"She went awesome," Terranova said of the Freud filly, whom he trains for Paul Pompa, Jr. "She's like supernatural, not from here. She trains amazing. Right now we're right on target for the Test."
General Maximus, meanwhile, covered the same distance in 1:00.60 with an eye toward the Grade 2 Amsterdam on August 2. Winner of the New York Stallion Stakes Times Square Division on May 2, the son of Freud was most recently second behind Grade 2 Jim Dandy Hopeful Friend Or Foe in the seven-furlong Mike Lee for New York-breds on June 20.
"I thought the Mike Lee was a pretty strong race, and I think Friend Or Foe is probably one of the better 3-year-olds around," Terranova said. "We'll see how he goes in the Jim Dandy, stretching out, but he's very talented and I have a lot of respect for him. The
General Maximus is expected to face Backtrack, Catalan, Discreetly Mine, Essence Hit Man, In Jack's Memory, Make Note and Safe Trip in the
Finally, Grade 3 Toboggan winner Wall Street Wonder breezed a half-mile in 47.75 over on the
"He's nominated to the Vanderbilt, but I'm just kind of waiting on him to tell us," Terranova said. "He's struggled a little bit with the heat this summer. He's not a horse that enjoys it at all and it really fries him. He's doing great though, he looks well, and this weather is perfect – it's what we need."
* * *
Sullimar Stable's Get Stormy put in a five-furlong grass work Monday morning in preparation for an expected start in next Sunday's Grade 2, $150,000 Fourstardave, covering the distance in 1:01.30, fifth of 15 at the distance, according to the NYRA clockers.
"He worked very nicely, finished up well, and he's doing great," said trainer Tom Bush. "I'm looking forward to the race."
Get Stormy exits a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes at Woodbine on June 27, his first loss in nearly a year. The son of Stormy Atlantic kicked off a five-race win streak in a July 29, 2009 turf allowance at
Expected to face him in the Fourstardave are Cherokee Artist, Glowing Praise, Grassy, Nownownow, Pinckney Hill, Public Speaker, Violon Sacre, Wesley, Whatsthescript and Zifzaf. Rogue Victory was listed as possible for the race.
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