Grade 3 winner El Areeb works toward winter return

Graded stakes winner El Areeb, who has missed the bulk of his 3-year-old season with a knee injury, has returned to the Laurel Park work tab for trainer Cal Lynch and is being prepared for a winter campaign.

El Areeb breezed three furlongs in 37.80 seconds Sept. 23 and then picked up the tempo last Saturday with a bullet three furlongs in 36.00.

“We gave him an easy three furlongs two weeks ago and then last week let him work a little,” Lynch said. “He probably went a little faster than we’d like, but he did it well.”

El Areeb, a $340,000 purchase as a 2-year-old in training by the MM G Stables of Mohammed Al-Gadhi, won three stakes in a row last fall and early this year. Following an 8 3/4-length maiden win at Laurel, he reeled off victories in the seven-furlong James F. Lewis III at Laurel and a pair of Grade 3 races at Aqueduct, the Jerome and Withers. His winning margins were 5 1/4 lengths, 11 1/4, and 4 1/4.

Following a third-place finish in the Gotham, El Areeb came out of a workout with a knee chip that required surgery. He recuperated on a Maryland farm and then was sent to Bruce Jackson at Fair Hill, where he built up his fitness on an Aquatred.

El Areeb rejoined Lynch’s barn a little more than a month ago.

“He’s come back every bit as good as he was,” Lynch said. “We’ve got our fingers crossed, and we’re very happy to have him back in the barn. Mohammed told us to take our time and let him get ready on his own schedule, not to rush him, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Being patient with El Areeb is no easy matter. The powerful son of Exchange Rate can be a handful.

“He’s already got me once on the back of the leg,” Lynch said. “He was just letting me know he was there. He’s gotten everyone in the barn at some time.”

The final 3-year-old stakes in the region is the Grade 3 Discovery, a 1 1/8-mile race Nov. 25 at Aqueduct, but Lynch said that race likely will come up too soon for El Areeb.

“That may be a little much first time back,” Lynch said. “He might start off in a seveneighths race or a one-turn mile. He’ll be here over the winter with us, and there are some nice races for him in the region, here and in New York. Once we get him going, we certainly won’t be ducking anyone.”

Trevor McCarthy, who has ridden El Areeb in all seven of his starts, also is rehabbing from injury. He needed surgery after dislocating his shoulder in a May 21 spill at Monmouth but could be back in the saddle by December.

“Trevor’s doing well,” Lynch said. “When we’re up to five-eighths with El Areeb, maybe he’ll be ready to work him.”

◗ Laurel will move to a fourday race week this weekend by adding Monday racing. The Friday-to-Monday schedule will remain in place for the rest of the year except for Thanksgiving week – when racing will be held Thursday to Sunday – and on Monday, Dec. 25.

Main Sequence at Fair Hill

Main Sequence, the retired champion male turf horse of 2014, is back at the Fair Hill Training Center, where he spent his racing days with trainer Graham Motion.

According to a newsletter put out by Herringswell Stables, Main Sequence has been moved into the stall and paddock previously occupied by Better Talk Now, who was euthanized in June at age 18 due to complications following colic surgery.

Main Sequence will share his paddock with the 29-year-old Gala Spinaway, who in August 1993 won the Grade 3 Polynesian at Pimlico, giving Motion his first graded win.

Since being retired in 2015, Main Sequence had been stabled in Middleburg, Va., where he was cared for by Motion’s brother Andrew and Andrew’s wife, Janie.

Main Sequence, an 8-yearold Aldebaran gelding, went undefeated while making four Grade 1 starts during his championship season. He clinched his Eclipse Award by winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

Better Talk Now, Motion’s first major horse, competed from 2001-09, winning 14 of 51 starts and $4.3 million. His victories included the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Sword Dancer in 2004. Last Sunday, Motion and his staff held a memorial ceremony for Better Talk Now at Fair Hill, where the horse is buried.

Parx: Sanchez has concussion

Mychel Sanchez was not seriously injured in a Monday spill at Parx Racing and could resume riding as soon as this weekend, according to his agent, retired rider Josiah Hampshire Jr.

Sanchez was thrown hard to the turf when his mount, Shake Things Up, appeared to break down entering the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile race. With Sanchez momentarily knocked out and lying in the center of the course, the outriders directed the riders of the remaining eight entrants to pull up their mounts in the stretch. The stewards declared the race a no-contest.

After regaining consciousness, Sanchez was placed on a stretcher and transported to Aria Health-Torresdale in Philadelphia. On Tuesday, Hampshire said Sanchez had not broken any bones in the spill but had a concussion.

Sanchez, a 21-year-old native of Venezuela, is second in the Parx standings with 71 wins. He has won 308 races since he began riding in 2013.

Shake Things Up was euthanized due to his injuries.

On Tuesday, the decision was made to close the turf course for the remainder of the year. According to track officials, the turf needs a rest, and repairs need to be made to the irrigation system.

This Saturday, Parx will run the $100,000 Plum Pretty Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile race for Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares. The Plum Pretty has attracted Imply and Great Soul, who finished first and second in the Mrs. Penny Stakes at Parx, and Mama Jones and Power of Snunner, who both will be stretching back out in distance after finishing second and third in the six-furlong Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial.