Saturday, September 15, 2012
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- Ron the Greek, Flat Out breeze for G1 TVG Jockey Club Gold Cup
- G1 winners Dullahan, Little Mike work for upcoming starts at
- Atigun on target for G1 TVG Jockey Club Gold Cup
Ron the Greek, runner-up in the Grade 1 Whitney Invitational Handicap, worked six furlongs in 1:14.05, while Whitney third-pace finisher Flat Out zipped five furlongs in a bullet 59.89, fastest of 12 at the distance on the
"Very good works from both of them," said Mott. "I was pleased. Flat Out worked particularly well and his gallop out was very good. He generally works quicker, anyway. It was a typical work from Ron the Greek, so I'm happy."
Flat Out, whose most recent victory came in last year's Jockey Club Gold Cup while in the care of Scooter Dickey, and Ron the Greek, winner of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap this year, will work again next weekend, weather permitting, said Mott.
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Multiple Grade 1 winners Dullahan and Little Mike posted separate five-furlong workouts on Saturday at Churchill Downs in preparation for upcoming starts at
Dullahan, a 3-year-old owned by Donegal Racing, traveled the distance in 1:01.80, while Priscilla Vaccarezza's Little Mike, a 5-year-old, was clocked in 1:03.20.
"They both worked great and they'll work at Churchill Downs next week, then we'll work on getting a plane [to
Dullahan defeated older horses to win the
Little Mike will attempt to carry his speed an additional quarter-mile in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic after leading from start to finish in the Grade 1, 1 ¼-mile Arlington Million on August 18.
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Atigun, who was fourth, beaten just over a length, in the Grade 1 Travers, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 this morning at
"Atigun is doing super," reported trainer Ken McPeek, who also sent out Golden Ticket, who dead-heated with Alpha to win the Travers, for a five-furlong move in 1:00.68. "It was a nice, maintenance work for both of them."
Owned by Shortleaf Stable, Atigun was three, four and five wide throughout the 1 ¼-mile Travers, coming up a length short of third-place finisher Fast Falcon after a solid stretch run.
"He didn't have the cleanest of trips," said McPeek of Atigun, who prior to the Travers was sixth over a sloppy, sealed track in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and third in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. "Who's to say he wouldn't have won?"
McPeek said he most likely will send Golden Ticket to the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby on September 22, partly because he wants to keep his two 3-year-olds apart and partly because he believes the 1 ¼ miles of the Jockey Club Gold Cup suits Atigun better than the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby.
"Both horses are doing extremely well," he said. "I think Golden Ticket will improve a little bit off the Travers, and Atigun is improving, too."
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