Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Catholic Boy has fuel to burn ahead of Belmont Derby
ELMONT, N.Y. – Catholic Boy, winner of the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge here June 2, returned to the work tab Friday, breezing a half-mile in 50.76 seconds over the Oklahoma turf course at Saratoga in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.2 million Belmont Derby on July 7 at Belmont Park.
Trainer Jonathan Thomas said the fact that he worked Catholic Boy on Friday is an indication of how well the horse came out of the Pennine Ridge.
“I was going to let his energy level dictate whether we breezed him two or three times,” Thomas said. “I felt he really bounced out of it well. He’s doing great up here in Saratoga. The weather is agreeing with him. We felt like we needed to do a little something. He seemed to take that race very well.”
Catholic Boy, a son of More Than Ready, is 3 for 4 on turf with a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
Catholic Boy has common ownership with Hawkish, the winner of the Penn Mile, who is slated to return to the work tab Sunday at Belmont Park, according to trainer Jimmy Toner.
Elate likely to return in July
Trainer Bill Mott is still figuring out where to bring the Grade 1 winner Elate back to the races. After he decided to skip Saturday’s Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs, Mott basically is deciding between the Grade 2, $700,000 Delaware Handicap on July 14 and the Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee Handicap on July 29 at Saratoga.
The main summer objective for Elate is the Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign at Saratoga on Aug. 25.
The Delaware Handicap is run at 1 1/4 miles, while the Shuvee is contested at 1 1/8 miles. Mott didn’t rule out running Elate 1 1/4 miles off the bench. “I can see that,” Mott said. Mott planned to work Elate on Saturday at Saratoga. Elate, who won last year’s Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga at 1 1/4 miles, has not run since finishing fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Meanwhile, Mott said that Hofburg, third in the Belmont Stakes, is in light training at Saratoga, with a likely next start coming in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes on July 28.
“He’s doing well, back on track, doing light exercise,” Mott said.
Clement pair looking to repeat
Trainer Christophe Clement has laid out a tentative plan to get Disco Partner and Pure Sensation – the first- and thirdplace finishers from the Grade 2 Jaipur on June 9 – to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint this fall at Churchill Downs.
Disco Partner, who won the Jaipur for the second straight year, will be pointed to the $150,000 Forbidden Apple at a mile July 14 at Belmont. Disco Partner won the Forbidden Apple last year. Clement mentioned the Belmont Turf Sprint in late September or early October as another target before the Breeders’ Cup. What he does in between is a little less defined. The Grade 2, $200,000 Troy is run Aug. 5 at Saratoga and could be too quick back for him.
Pure Sensation, meanwhile, likely will make his next start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Parx Dash on July 7. He has won that race in each of the last two years. Pure Sensation likely would then run in the Troy at Saratoga and then go back to Parx on Sept. 3 for the Grade 3 Turf Monster, a race he has won the past two years.
Clement said Pure Sensation cut himself on his left front in the Jaipur but wouldn’t miss any training.
Disco Partner, a 6-year-old son of Disco Rico, and Pure Sensation, a 7-year-old gelding by Zensational, are both owned and bred by Frank and Patricia Generazio. They have combined to win 19 of 59 starts and earned $2,497,860.
Violet Blue to stakes next
Violet Blue earned an opportunity to run in a stakes race next time out with a powerful 4 1/4-length victory in a firstlevel allowance race at Belmont on Wednesday.
In her first start since November, Violet Blue rallied from last with an eye-catching move around the turn before pulling away in the stretch to win handily while covering 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.85. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.
Trainer Jimmy Toner credited Karl Keegan with preparing Violet Blue so well during the winter before sending her to Toner about a month ago.
“She came up in good order, looked great, matured over the winter,” Toner said. “Filled out well and got big and strong. She trained into the race good, she looked good, and performed well.”
Toner said the $100,000 River Memories at 1 1/2 miles here July 8 and the Grade 3, $200,000 Waya Stakes on Aug. 4 at Saratoga would be considered for Violet Blue.