Sunday, August 22, 2010
Contact: NYRA Press Office
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- Grade 1 Betfair TVG
- Discreetly Mine (G1 King's Bishop), Life At Ten (G1 Personal Ensign),
- Afleet Again works for Travers
- Rachel Alexandra set to work Monday, pending conditions
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The top four finishers from Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Betfair TVG Alabama all appear to have emerged from the race in good order.
"She's doing well – much better than I am this morning!" quipped Cross. "She's chilling, relaxing, and is refreshed after having an hour-long walk this morning."
More cross-country trips are possible for Blind Luck, who has left her home state of
"We wouldn't be able to do this if she didn't travel so well," said Cross, who also exercises Blind Luck and has accompanied the filly on her journeys.
Trainer Tony Dutrow was extremely pleased with Havre de Grace's gutsy second-place effort in the Betfair TVG Alabama and said the Fox Hill Farms colorbearer appeared to come out of the race in fine shape.
"She's doing great," Dutrow said. "Having run as well as she did in the Delaware Oaks and the
Dutrow also spoke highly of Blind Luck.
"She is so special," he said. "Nothing matters to her – not a slow pace, not a fast pace, not the track she's running on, not if she has to go around horses. I haven't seen a single thing that matters to her, and that's a compliment."
A few barns over, Tony Dutrow's younger brother, Rick Dutrow, Jr., was equally pleased with the third-place finish of Jay Em Ess Stable's Acting Happy.
"She ran a great race and it looks like she came out of it well," said Dutrow, Jr. "Everyone associated with the horse is happy this morning."
Acting Happy, a daughter of Empire Maker, has now assembled an impressive record of 2-2-2 from six starts, including a win in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan and a pair of Grade 1 third-place efforts in the Betfair TVG Coaching Club and Betfair TVG Alabama this summer.
"I'm thinking about it," Dutrow said of plans for the filly. "She's had six races already this year, and I don't know if I just want to give her a break. We'll see."
Trainer Todd Pletcher was understandably disappointed with the performance of
"I never felt she fired during the race," he said this morning. "She was beaten only 4 ½ lengths but I never felt she ran to her capabilities. She trained up to it very well and came out of it in good order. Watching the race, I was concerned down the backside because as slow as the fractions were, I would have expected her to really be tugging Johnny [Velazquez] up there, He said when they turned up the backside, she was off the bridle. He was hoping that it was a good sign, that she was relaxed, but it became more and more apparent that she just never really kicked in."
Pletcher has nothing but praise for the
"She's a tremendous filly and Jerry [Hollendorfer] has done a tremendous job with her," he said. "She shows up everywhere, and wins."
Looking ahead, Pletcher said he was considering several options for Devil May Care, among them the Grade 1 Beldame at
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Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a handful of workers early this morning on the
Also on the worktab was
Life At Ten, who will carry a six-race winning streak into her meeting with reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, worked in company with Stopspending Maria, covering five furlongs over the sloppy track in 1:02.82, with NYRA clockers catching her galloping out in 1:15 3/5.
"We were looking for a little more from Life At Ten because she is running 1 ¼ miles," said Pletcher of the 4-year-old filly, whose most recent victories include the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap and the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park. "She not only worked well, but galloped out extremely well.
"She's in very good form right now, and she's obviously on a winning streak," he added. "I think her races this year have been better than some have given her credit for, but I also think it's a very, very tall order to take on Rachel Alexandra."
Discreetly Mine, an 8 ¾ length winner of the Grade 2 Amsterdam at the Spa in his most recent start, went an easy half-mile in 52.32 in preparation for the seven-furlong King's Bishop.
"Most of them, we were just looking for routine maintenance," said Pletcher. "Discreetly Mine is obviously very fit, and we were looking for a nice, easy half. He got over the ground well."
Quality Road, who suffered his first loss of the year at the hands of Blame in the Grade 1 Whitney, also went a half-mile, covering the distance in 51.86, with opening splits of 13.50 and 26.50, coming home the last quarter in 23.85.
"I was looking not to get off schedule with him," said Pletcher. "He seemed to handle everything well, and came back well. The track was sloppy, but safe, and we caught it very early. It was either go, or not go, and we went."
Malibu Prayer, winner of the Grade 1 Ruffian at the Spa, went a half in 49.91 as Pletcher and owner Edward P. Evans mull her next start. Among the possibilities is the Grade 1 Ballerina on the Travers undercard at seven furlongs, said Pletcher.
"I will speak with Mr. Evans in the next couple of days and make a decision," he said.
Pletcher added that Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver came out of yesterday's work in good shape as he points to the 141st running of the Grade 1, $1 million Travers next Saturday.
"I believe the Haskell has moved him forward," said the trainer. "And I would expect an improved performance from him in what appears to be a wide-open race."
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Graded stakes winner Afleet Again put in his final workout this morning for Saturday's 1 ¼ mile Travers. With jockey Cornelio Velasquez aboard, the Grade 3 Withers winner breezed four furlongs in 48.10 seconds over the sloppy main track.
"I didn't think the track was that bad this morning," said trainer Robert Reid Jr. "This horse loves the slop. He won easily running in it."
This was the first time Velasquez had been on Afleet Again and Reid was pleased how Velasquez and the horse worked together.
"I wanted to have him get a feel for the horse," he said. "He's somewhat of a quirky horse to ride. He likes to get his head way down. So you have to get a real long hold on him. Cornelio got along well with him."
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Pending tomorrow morning's conditions, reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra will work out at 6 a.m. for what will be her final move prior to next Sunday's Grade 1 Personal Ensign.
"She galloped in the mud this morning," said trainer Steve Asmussen. "We'll plan on going tomorrow and see if we can do it. If not, we'll try the next day."
The Personal Ensign will be Rachel Alexandra's first race at the Spa since winning last year's Grade 1 Woodward over Labor Day weekend.
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