Thursday, August 12, 2010
Contact: NYRA Press Office
(518) 584-6200, ext. 4237
- A Little Warm to work Saturday for Travers
- Informed Decision, Forever Together target races at the Spa
- Banrock works for West Point; Bush ponders options for Get Stormy, You and I Forever
- Fly Down, Ice Box, Miner's Reserve breeze for Zito
- Fields taking shape for Grade 1 Betfair TVG Alabama; Grade 2 Lake Placid
"As long as it's a good racetrack Saturday, he'll go after the break on the main track," said Tony Dutrow, who trains A Little Warm for owner/breeder Edward P. Evans. "He'll go an easy five-eighths of a mile. I don't feel he needs much at all."
A Little Warm, first or second in all nine of his career starts so far, won the Spectacular Bid at Gulfstream Park in his first start of 2010, then was second in a pair of Grade 2 stakes, the Hutcheson at Gulfstream and the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. The son of Stormin Fever took an allowance at
"I'm very happy with him," Dutrow said. "I'm hoping for the best, and he's saying that he's doing really well."
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Jonathan Sheppard's gray gals – champions Informed Decision and Forever Together – are slated to make their next appearances at Saratoga Race Course.
Informed Decision, the reigning Champion Female Sprinter, is targeting the Grade 1 Ballerina on Travers Day. The 5-year-old will be cutting back in distance and returning to conventional dirt in the Ballerina, having captured the one-mile Windward over Presque Isle's artificial surface on July 27 last time out.
"We didn't have many options between the race in Chicago and the Ballerina, and the weights were advantageous as they were allowance conditions for horses who have won going a mile or longer," said Sheppard, who trains both mares for George Strawbridge's Augustin Stable, of the choice to run in the Windward.
Informed Decision began her 2010 campaign by finishing third in the Grade 1 Vinery Madison at Keeneland and in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs, then was all out to win the Grade 3 Chicago Handicap at
"When she ran in
Informed Decision, currently at Presque Isle, will be shipped to
"We'll gallop her for three or four days after she arrives and give her one workout before the Ballerina," said Sheppard.
Forever Together, the 2008 Champion Female Turf Horse who was third in the Grade 1 Diana on July 31 when attempting to win the race for the third consecutive year, is being pointed towards the Grade 3 Glens Falls Handicap on Closing Day, Monday, September 6.
"There's good spacing between then Glens Falls and the Flower Bowl [Grade 1, October 2 at Belmont Park]," said Sheppard. "The negative is that it's a handicap and she'll probably have to give a lot of weight."
The
"The Breeders' Cup is 1 3/8ths miles this year, so we want to keep her in longer-distance races," said Sheppard. "As she has gotten older she has developed more stamina and has learned to switch it off early."
* * *
Banrock continues to do well as he approaches next Thursday's West Point Handicap, a 1 1/8th –mile turf race for New York-breds that he will be attempting to win for the third straight year.
On Monday, the 7-year-old gelding went five furlongs in 1:01.90, handily, over the Oklahoma Turf Course in company with allowance runner Ouchy Night.
"He does well here. He likes the atmosphere here. We are always happy to bring him up here," trainer Tom Bush said. "We put a little company with him. He was a little aggressive. We wanted to make sure he was tuned up. He's coming into the race the right way. I think we're in good shape. I don't know how you win a race three times, but we're going to try."
Banrock, who has won 3 of 6 career starts at
Bush also noted this morning that Get Stormy, winner of the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap 11 days ago, is a possible candidate for the Grade 2, $200,000 Bernard Baruch for turf horses running 1 1/8th miles on August 27, and that Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap winner You and I Forever, who rallied from last to third in the James Marvin Stakes on Saratoga's Opening Day, is a possibility for the Grade 1, $250,000 Forego at seven furlongs on September 4.
* * *
Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito had Florida Derby winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box,
With jockey Jose Lezcano aboard, Fly Down handled the work in 48.68 seconds. Ice Box, under Julien Leparoux, covered the distance in 48.76 seconds, and Miner's Reserve, ridden by Calvin Borel, clocked in at 50.50 seconds.
"They went well this morning," Zito said. "Let's see how all three come out of the work. Obviously, I'm not going to run all three horses [in the Travers], I don't think. Let's just see what happens. They have to come back and work next week. It depends who's pointed in the race, too."
* * *
Next Saturday's Grade 1 Betfair TVG Alabama Stakes will likely attract a stellar field of 3-year-old fillies, including Betfair TVG Coaching Club American Oaks winner Devil May Care and multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Blind Luck, most recently victorious in the Delaware Oaks. The 1 ¼ mile race, the final jewel of the Betfair TVG Triple Tiara, is also expected to feature Acting Happy, third in the Betfair TVG Coaching Club American Oaks; Grade 1 Mother Goose runner-up Connie and Michael, and Havre de Grace, beaten a nose by Blind Luck in the Delaware Oaks.
Probables for Sunday's feature, the Grade 2 Lake Placid for 3-year-old fillies, include Check the Label, winner of three straight including the Grade 2 Sands Point and the Grade 3 Virginia Oaks; City to City, most recently second in the Grade 2 San Clemente; Grade 2 Lake George runner-up Exclusive Love; It's Tea Time, winner of a turf allowance at the Spa on August 1; Martita Sangrita, fifth in the Virginia Oaks, and No Explaining, third in the Lake George. Possible are Loudonville winner Lisa's Booby Trap and La Cloche.
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