Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Contact: NYRA Press Office
(518) 584-6200, ext. 4237
- Busy morning for Dutrow charges on main track
- Life at Ten on target for Personal Ensign; Take the Points making progress
- Friend Or Foe likely to work Friday for Travers
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. had a quartet of horses on Saratoga Race Course's main track this morning for six-furlong works: undefeated Trickmeister, multiple graded-stakes winner D' Funnybone, promising 2-year-old Boys At Tosconova, and last year's Grade 1 Wood Memorial winner, I Want Revenge.
Trickmeister, who was recently acquired by IEAH, handled three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.40. Trickmeister has been unbeaten in three starts – all at Delaware Park – including his most recent start in the Barbaro Stakes, and is being pointed to the 141st running of the Grade 1, $1 million Travers on Saturday, August 28.
D' Funnybone, who is targeting the Grade 1, $250,000 King's Bishop Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on August 28 as part of the Travers Day undercard, covered the distance in 1:13.45, handily.
"Everything went good this morning. I just liked the way that they went," Dutrow said.
Boys At Tosconova, who posted a dazzling maiden win at
"We're in love with him. I'm satisfied with the work," Dutrow said. "We're as happy with him as we have ever been."
I Want Revenge had the fastest work of the quartet with a time of 1:11.24, handily. It was his fifth workout since finishing third to Haynesfield in the Grade 2 Suburban, which was his first race since being scratched as the morning line favorite in last year's Kentucky Derby.
Along with I Want Revenge, Dutrow has Grade 1 winner Rail Trip as a possible starter in the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward at 1 1/8th miles on September 4.
The trainer added that he was pleased with the way Acting Happy, most recently third in the Betfair TVG Coaching Club American Oaks, is progressing toward the Grade 1 Betfair TVG Alabama on Saturday, August 21. The filly worked six furlongs in 1:14.55 on Monday.
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Life At Ten, whose six-race win streak will be put on the line against reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on August 29, came out of Tuesday's work in good order, said trainer Todd Pletcher.
The winner of the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps worked a half-mile in a moderate 51.46 by herself under exercise rider Patti Barry.
"She came out of it very well," said Pletcher. "She will work five furlongs, in company, next Monday."
Friday, Pletcher will saddle Interactif in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes, his second start back on the turf since a foray onto the Triple Crown trail. The Broken Vow colt is cutting back to 1 1/8th miles from the 1 ¼ miles of the Virginia Derby, in which he was second to Paddy O'Prado.
"I think he's handled a variety of distances well," said Pletcher of Interactif, who has won at distances ranging from five furlongs to 1 1/16th miles. "He's also a horse that has run well on all three surfaces. With the
He added that Take the Points, who was not entered in Saturday's Grade 1 Sword Dancer because of an ankle issue, continues to make progress and could be back on the track by Thursday.
"We are going to play it day-by-day," said Pletcher of the dual Grade 1 winner, most recently second in the Grade 1 United Nations Handicap.
The 4-year-old Even the Score colt's scheduled workout on Monday was put off because of the wrenched ankle, and Pletcher said in order to have made the Sword Dancer he would have had to work Wednesday.
"Basically, we ran out of time," Pletcher said.
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Trainer John Kimmel said Wednesday that Friend Or Foe, fourth in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga Race Course on July 31, will likely return to the track Friday for his first timed workout since the race.
"He's getting ready to do something," said Kimmel, who is pointing the New York-bred son of
The Jim Dandy was Friend Or Foe's first effort around two turns, and Kimmel said he expected the colt to move forward in the Travers.
"My experience with horses like him is that having run his first two turn-race, you would expect that just with the experience under his belt he's going to run better the next time," said Kimmel. "There's the added challenge of an additional eighth of a mile, but the way he galloped out in the Jim Dandy, Rajiv [Maragh, jockey] didn't seem to think he'd struggle with the added distance. He's really held his weight well since then. He won't be one of the favorites – these other horses have all kind of shown who they are, and he still needs to do that."
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