Sunday, September 12, 2010
Contact: NYRA Press Office
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- "Nothing is definite" for Gio Ponti; Funny Moon possible for G1 Beldame; Nordic Truce to Fifth Marine Stakes on Friday
- Banrock beginning to perk up after illness; Get Stormy works
- Life At Ten, Uncle Mo on worktab for Pletcher
- Al Khali exits
- McLaughlin barn looking to continue momentum at Belmont
- Persistently doing well as she points to Beldame
- Strike the Bell to G3 Noble Damsel; Sapphire Sky nominated to G2 Gallant Bloom
- Fields taking shape for next weekend's G1 Garden City, G3 Noble Damsel
ELMONT, N.Y. – Five-time Grade 1 winner Gio Ponti posted a five-furlong work over the inner turf at Belmont Park Saturday morning, his first since finishing second in the Grade 1 Arlington Million on August 21. On July 10, the son of Tale of the Cat defended his title in the Man o'War at
"He worked well and he came back in good order," Clement said. "Everything looks good. Nothing is definite at the moment."
Clement added that Gio Ponti would "most probably" be pointed to one of the Breeders' Cup Championship races at Churchill Downs on November 6, and that he would discuss the matter with owner Shane Ryan of Castleton Lyons this week before making a decision on that race, or any interim start.
In 2009, Gio Ponti finished second to the undefeated mare Zenyatta in the 1 ¼-mile Breeders' Cup Classic, which was run over the synthetic surface at Santa Anita Park. The event will take place at Churchill Downs this year, and the 1 ¼-mile Classic will be contested over dirt.
Working Sunday for Clement was Mrs. C. Wilson McNeely's Funny Moon, winner of the Grade 2 Shuvee at
The filly was caught in 50.06 for four furlongs on the main track at
"She worked very well and we will point her to either the Beldame [Grade 1, $350,000 1 1/8 miles on October 2 at Belmont Park] or the Spinster [Grade 1, Keeneland, October 10]," said the trainer.
On Friday, Clement trainee Nordic Truce heads a field of eight in the Fifth Marine, a $60,000 one-mile turf overnight stakes for 3-year-olds.
Fourth in his most recent effort, the Grade 2, 1 1/8-mile National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes off a two-month layoff, Nordic Truce seeks his first win since taking the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland on April 2. Between those starts he finished a neck behind winner Krypton in the Grade 3 Hill Prince at
Also entered in the Fifth Marine are Lubash, winner of the New York Stallion Stakes Cab Calloway division at Saratoga on August 11; Radiohead, a Group 2 winner on the turf in England who will make his first start since a ninth-place finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 20; and Lighthouse Sound, Raging Wit, Best Actor, Asphalt, and Aikenite. Sun Dance Moon may run if the race is moved to the main track.
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Nyala Farm's New York-bred turfer Banrock appears to be on the road to recovery after a virus knocked the gelding out of contention for this afternoon's Ashley T. Cole, a race he won in both 2008 and 2009.
"He's back in his stall and he seems fine," said trainer Tom Bush. "He's eating again and his blood is going back up, so he's just going to go pretty easy for awhile. I don't know if we'll ever figure out what it was … we have him on some ulcer medication and he looks like he's coming around."
Bush said that the 1 1/8-mile Mohawk on New York Showcase Day October 23 was "not out of the question," but that his primary focus was getting the horse back to peak condition.
"He's acting himself again, but he's not going to get the tack for awhile," he said. "We want to make sure he's a hundred percent. He's been in training for over five years and he'd never had a sick day in his life, so it gives you pause."
On Sunday, Get Stormy, winner of a pair of Grade 2 turf contests at the Spa this summer in the Fourstardave and Bernard Baruch, breezed an easy four furlongs in 52.03 over the firm Inner turf course at Belmont, his first work since the August 27 Baruch.
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Life At Ten breezed four furlongs in 50.99 seconds Sunday morning in her first workout following a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on August 29.
"It was a maintenance work," said Jonathan Thomas, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. "She seemed to do everything as expected."
A winner of three graded stakes, including the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap in June, Life At Ten is being pointed towards the Grade 1 Beldame on October 2.
Also on the worktab for Pletcher was
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Al Khali was reported to be in tip-top shape following his late-running victory in yesterday's Grade 2 Bowling Green Handicap.
"It was a big effort," said Leana Williford, assistant to trainer Bill Mott, of Al Khali's
Plans for the 4-year-old owned by Brous Stable and Wachtel Stable will be determined at a later date.
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Kiaran McLaughlin, who had a solid finish to the
Both Grade 3 Saranac winner Lethal Combination and Krypton, the Grade 3 Hill Prince winner who was most recently third in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame at
Soldat, who also made a splash at
As well, a new entry to the barn, the German-bred filly Neon Light, who was seventh in the Grade 2 Lake George in her American debut, has an outside shot at running in next Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 Garden City, Magnuson added.
The filly worked a half-mile on the inner turf this morning in 51.15, breezing, with the dogs up.
"We'll keep one eye on the Garden City," Magnuson said. "We're in no rush with her. She came to us in great shape; we just want to get to know her better."
The Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, the centerpiece of Super Saturday, October 2, is one of several races possible for Redding Colliery, beaten favorite in the Iselin at
"That's a race we'll look at, depending on how it comes up," said Magnuson.
Magnuson added that Trappe Shot continues to do well following his ninth-place finish in the Travers on August 28.
"He's in training and is doing really well," said Magnuson. "We don't regret at all going in the race. He was good on the day – but his two worst races were both at
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Persistently, who upset 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in Saratoga Race Course's Grade 1 Personal Ensign, is doing "just fine" as she points to her next start, the Grade 1 Beldame on October 2, according to Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.
"She shipped down very well and we did a little with her yesterday and so far, all systems are a go," said McGaughey.
The 4-year-old filly returned to the work tab on Saturday for the first time since her 21-1 upset in the Personal Ensign, going three furlongs in 37.56.
"She doesn't need a whole lot," said McGaughey. "We'll go back in a couple of weeks and I'll work her again."
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Strike the Bell, who exits a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Grade 2, 1 1/16-mile Ballston Spa Handicap at
"She breezed well today and came out of her last one okay," said David Donk, who trains the 4-year-old Mizzen Mast filly for Rising Star Stables. "This is a good spot; it shortens her back up to one turn. She was a lot farther back off the pace then I thought she'd be in the Ballston Spa, and she made up a lot of ground, but it was just too much to do on that course. I think she's a seven-eighths to a mile specialist anyway."
Another Donk trainee, Sapphire Sky, has been working steadily toward a return to the races having been off since an allowance win at
Earlier in the year Sapphire Sky won the 7 ½-furlong Indistinctly Stakes at Aqueduct, defeating newly-minted Grade 1 Ballerina winner Rightly So by a nose. Over the course of her career, Sapphire Sky has shown a preference for off racetracks, and four of her six wins have come in the slop or mud. Overall, her career record stands at 6-5-2 from 17 starts.
"She'll probably run in the [Anniron] overnight stake on September 29th [seven furlongs on the main track for New York-bred fillies and mares], but I did nominate her to the Gallant Bloom, just in case," Donk said. "Maybe, in case it rained. She's a good filly anyway, but I think wet-going really moves her up."
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Next Saturday's $250,000 Garden City, a 1 1/8 mile turf race and the first Grade 1 of the Fall Championship Meet, is likely to attract a solid field of fillies and mares including the Graham Motion-trained Check the Label, whose three-race win streak comprises two Grade 3 victories and the Grade 2 Sands Point at
Also probable, along with Neon Light, are No Explaining, third in the Grade 2 Lake George at
The Grade 3 Noble Damsel on Sunday, September 19, run at a mile on the Widener course, will bring together a field of fillies and mares expected to include Miss Catalyst, looking to make only the second start of her 4-year-old season after an impressive 3-year-old campaign; the Dale Romans-trained C. S. Silk, coming off a 2 ½-length victory in the Addison Mallery at Saratoga, Chad Brown trainee Quiet Meadow, as well as Kristi with a K, Scolara, Strike the Bell, and Sweeter Still. Meriwether Jessica, riding a three-race win streak including her latest victory in the $100,000 Yaddo at Saratoga Race Course, and Becky's Exchange were listed as questionable.
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