Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Small fields likely for Curlin, Jim Dandy
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The ranks have thinned considerably among 3-year-olds to the point where the two stakes in the division scheduled for Saratoga next week are likely to attract small fields.
Next Friday’s $100,000 Curlin Stakes has only three horses that, as of Friday, are considered definite – Hofburg, Bourbon Resolution, and Zing Zang.
Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes also has just three confirmed starters – Flameaway, Tenfold, and Vino Rosso. Trainer Peter Eurton is considering shipping either Core Beliefs or Draft Pick, with one of those possibly going to the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth on July 29. Lone Sailor, beaten a nose in the Ohio Derby, is likely to run in the Jim Dandy, but also could re-route to the Haskell. Reride, winner of the Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland in the spring, also is possible for the Jim Dandy.
On Friday, at Saratoga, Flameaway worked four furlongs in 47.86 seconds over the main track in company with the 3-year-old maiden Bernotchie. They went off in a very fast 22.98 opening quarter before trainer Mark Casse, via two-way radio, told the exercise riders to slow down. The two got their final quarter in 24.88.
“They were rolling, that’s why we were yelling at them to slow down,” Casse said. “The good thing was the boy who gets on him said he was really eager to gallop out and he hasn’t always been.”
Flameaway won the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis and was second in the Tampa Bay Derby and Blue Grass before finishing 13th, 30 1/2 lengths behind Justify, in the Kentucky Derby. Following a break, Flameaway finished sixth in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby, 5 1/4 lengths behind Core Beliefs.
Casse said between chasing the pace and running over a sloppy track, Flameaway “got roughed-up pretty good in the Derby.” So Casse gave the colt several weeks off and said he was likely a short horse entering the Ohio Derby.
“He probably went into the Ohio Derby maybe not at his optimum,” Casse said. “It showed the last quarter of a mile.”
Now, Casse says, Flameaway “is as happy as I’ve ever seen him.”
Asmussen makes plans
Trainer Steve Asmussen has Tenfold pointing to the Jim Dandy and Zing Zang to the Curlin.
On Friday, he worked Combatant on the turf and was pleased enough with what he saw to point him to the Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes on turf here Aug. 3.
“I thought he worked great,” Asmussen said. “It makes it feel like the Hall of Fame. Makes me wonder what I’m going to do with Reride. The Jim Dandy is a possibility. He’s freakishly versatile.”
Reride, who has won on turf, has three wins on dirt from 4 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles.
Romans may load Amsterdam
Trainer Dale Romans said he could run as many as three horses in next Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes for 3-year-olds. At 6 1/2 furlongs, the Amsterdam is the local prep for the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens here Aug. 25.
Romans is looking at running Promises Fulfilled, Seven Trumpets, and Cove Blue in the Amsterdam.
Promises Fulfilled, 15th in the Kentucky Derby after setting the pace, came back to run third in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont. Seven Trumpets finished second, beaten nine lengths by Firenze Fire, in the Grade 3 Dwyer on July 7. Cove Blue won a sixfurlong allowance race on May 28 at Churchill Downs.
Though Promises Fulfilled won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth around two turns, Romans believes “he’s more of a one-turn horse as of now.”
Prince Lucky sidelined
Prince Lucky, who won the Easy Goer Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day, will miss the Curlin Stakes due to “a little bit of a setback,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Pletcher is hoping to have Prince Lucky ready for the Grade 3, $300,000 Smarty Jones on Aug. 25 at Parx Racing.
Meanwhile, Pletcher said Noble Indy has been sent to the farm for a break and will likely not race again until the Gulfstream Park winter meet.
After winning the Louisiana Derby, Noble Indy finished 17th in the Kentucky Derby, last in the Belmont Stakes, and last in the Dwyer.
Mind Your Biscuits in long work
Trainer Chad Summers tried to replicate the two turns Mind Your Biscuits will likely be attempting in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on Aug. 4 by working him seven furlongs around two turns Friday at Saratoga.
With Joel Rosario up, Mind Your Biscuits worked seven furlongs in 1:26.56, galloping out a mile in 1:39.78. Mind Your Biscuits worked in blinkers, equipment he wears in the races but rarely works in.
“It’s a serious work two weeks out. I wanted to make sure he kept his focus,” Summers said.
Rosario said he felt Mind Your Biscuits worked better Friday over the main track than he did last year in Saratoga.
Summers said he is “90 to 95 percent” ready to run Mind Your Biscuits in the Whitney.