Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Dr Post works alongside Basin
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Dr Post, runner-up in the Belmont Stakes and third in the Haskell Invitational, worked a half-mile in 50.69 seconds on Friday morning over Saratoga’s main track.
Dr Post, who worked in company with 2019 Grade 1 Hopeful winner Basin – recently transferred to trainer Todd Pletcher – is preparing for a race on Sept. 5, Pletcher said. It could be the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, the Jim Dandy at Saratoga, or the Federico Tesio at Laurel Park, the latter a Win and You’re In race for the Preakness on Oct. 3 at Pimlico.
“We’re locked in on Sept. 5, we’ll continue to monitor how he’s doing and other developing situations for the Derby, includ- ing jockeys and major preps run this weekend and all of those things,” Pletcher said after the work. “The horse is doing great, and everything’s in play.”
Churchill Downs has floated the idea of requiring jockeys who are based outside of Kentucky to be in the state by Aug. 24 for a quarantine period. By doing that, those riders based at Saratoga would miss many significant races the week before and the week of the Derby.
Irad Ortiz Jr. is the regular rider of Dr Post, and it is not yet decided if he’s staying in New York or going to Kentucky.
Pletcher also wanted to wait to make a decision regarding the Kentucky Derby until after this weekend, when the Runhappy Travers, featuring Tiz the Law and Uncle Chuck, and the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby, led by Art Collector, are run.
Pletcher does have two other horses targeting races on Sept. 5. Happy Saver, who has won both of his starts, and Money Moves, who is 2 for 3, have yet to run in a stakes race, so they may be more likely for the Jim Dandy or Tesio.
In Friday’s work, Dr Post was outside of Basin. The pair went a slow opening quarter of 26.30 seconds and came home in 24.39 while galloping out five furlongs in 1:03.47 and six furlongs in 1:16.79.
“I thought they both breezed very kindly, very easily, made good mates, well in hand,” Pletcher said. “I’m happy with it.”
Basin, previously trained by Steve Asmussen, was recently awarded first place in a division of the Arkansas Derby following the disqualification of Charlatan for the presence of a banned substance. On July 11, Basin finished 10th in the Blue Grass Stakes.
Terry Green, who races under the moniker Jackpot Farm, recently transferred the horse to Pletcher from Asmussen. Friday was Basin’s first work for Pletcher.
“Today was sort of getting to know him,” Pletcher said. “He came in in excellent condition, as you would expect coming from Steve. He seems like a kind horse to train and breezed well this morning. We’ll look to breeze him back next week and learn a little more.”
Pletcher said he was not given any specific race to target for Basin, but indicated that oneturn races such as the Grade 2, $500,000 Pat Day Mile on Sept. 5 at Churchill might be more his style.
“That kind of seems what they were thinking, though they didn’t say absolutely this is what you got to do,” Pletcher said.
Spice Is Nice breezes
Spice Is Nice, recent winner of a first-level allowance at Belmont Park, worked five furlongs in 1:01.70 over Saratoga’s main track in preparation for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Alabama Stakes.
Spice Is Nice worked outside of One Eyed Jack, a 4-yearold gelding, and got her final quarter in 24.83 seconds while galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.09 and seven furlongs in 1:28.55.
“It was a good, steady breeze this morning, did it very easily, galloped out strongly,” Pletcher said. “We’ve always felt like the farther the better for her.”
The Alabama, run at 1 1/4 miles, is a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The field is expected to include Swiss Skydiver, a three-time graded stakes winner who most recently finished second against the boys in the Blue Grass. Also expected are Bonny
South, the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks winner; Crystal Ball, the Coaching Club American Oaks runner-up; Envoutante, third in the Grade 1 Ashland; Harvey’s Lil Goil, winner of the Grade 3 Regret on turf; and Wild Love, a 11 1/4-length maiden winner at Churchill Downs in June.
Vekoma has bruised foot
Trainer George Weaver is hoping to get dual Grade 1 winner Vekoma back on the work tab next weekend after he missed some time with a bruised foot.
The Blood-Horse first reported Vekoma’s issue on Thursday.
Vekoma, who won the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and Grade 1 Carter at the Belmont spring meet, is targeting the Grade 1 Forego here Aug. 29.
“Still looking to make the Forego if everything goes well,” Weaver said Friday. “If I can get two or three works in him we’ll be fine to run. We’ll take it day by day.”
Weaver said Vekoma only missed a few days of training when an abscess popped out of his left front foot.
“I was going to breeze him around [Aug. 1], then that thing popped up,” Weaver said.