Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Dr Post may give Haskell a go
ELMONT, N.Y. – Dr Post, the Belmont Stakes runner-up, was scheduled to return to the work tab Saturday at Belmont Park, and trainer Todd Pletcher said he is leaning toward running him in the $1 million Haskell Invitational on July 18 at Monmouth Park.
“Seems like he’s come out of the race well, so this will be the first step toward making a decision,” Pletcher said Friday.
Pletcher said the timing of the Haskell isn’t great as a final prep for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, but it might be better than waiting for the Runhappy Travers on Aug. 8 and coming back four weeks later in the Derby.
“Ideally, I’d like something a week or two later,” Pletcher said. “It’s back in four weeks and then seven weeks to the Derby or wait for the Travers and then have four weeks back to the Derby off a mile-and-aquarter race against Tiz the Law. Just have to play it by ear, but right now I’d say we’re leaning towards the Haskell.”
The Haskell is likely to come up with a small field. Authentic, runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby, is pointing to that race for trainer Bob Baffert. Others who have been mentioned as possible include Ny Traffic and Ete Indien.
Farmington Road works on turf
Farmington Road, who finished eighth in the Belmont, worked a half-mile in 49.94 seconds over the Belmont turf course Friday and could switch surfaces for his next start, Pletcher said.
Farmington Road worked in company with Legit, who also has never been on turf. The pair went their first quarter in 26.79 around orange traffic cones, known as dogs, to keep the workers away from the part of the course used for racing. They came home in 23.15.
“I thought they both seemed to handle it pretty well, keeps some options in play,” Pletcher said. “They seemed to quicken down the lane and came home pretty well. I’ll probably work them back before deciding.”
Farmington Road is by Quality Road out of the mare Silver La Belle, who is a half-sister to four-time turf graded stakes winner Silverfoot.
Prisoner will have to wait
In a normal world, Prisoner would have went from his impressive maiden win on June 3 to the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga on opening weekend.
This year, however, the Grade 3 Sanford was not scheduled by the New York Racing Association, owing to a lack of 2-yearold maiden races at the Belmont meet. Thus, the Pletchertrained Prisoner will be forced to wait for the Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special on Aug. 7.
On Friday, Prisoner worked a half-mile in 50.15 seconds with the unstarted 2-year-old
maiden Walden Pond.
Prisoner won his debut by 4 3/4 lengths, earning an 85 Beyer Speed Figure. Garappolo, fourth in that race, came back to win his maiden in Friday’s opener.
Pletcher said he was “caught off guard” by the cancellation of the Sanford, so he backed off in Prisoner’s training, skipping a workout last week.
Starting in 1913, the Sanford had been run 105 times through last year. It was not run in 1961 or 2005.
Oleksandra has splint injury
Oleksandra, who rallied from last to first to win the Grade 1 Jaipur in a near course recordsetting time, was diagnosed with a fractured splint bone and will be confined to stall rest for two months, according to Barry Irwin, president of Team Valor
International, which owns the Australian-bred mare.
“We hope to make the Breeders’ Cup,” said Irwin, who was hoping to run Oleksandra in the Grade 3, $200,000 Troy Stakes on Aug. 8 at Saratoga.
Irwin believes Oleksandra was injured soon after the start when Kanthaka, breaking from the inside under Jose Ortiz, came over and impeded Oleksandra, who broke inward a step.
Irwin said he is not happy with what he believes is a habit of riders not maintaining a straight path with their horses, especially out of the gate, and with the track stewards’ inability to make them do so.
“I’m personally tired of this” stuff, Irwin said.
99 Beyer for Complexity
Complexity, winner of the Grade 1 Champagne in 2018, made a successful 4-year-old debut Thursday at Belmont, winning a stakes-caliber allowance race by 2 1/4 lengths over Win Win Win.
Complexity raced four wide throughout under Jose Ortiz and pulled away in the lane, covering a mile in 1:34.44. He earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance.
It was his first start since he finished fourth in the Grade 1 Malibu last December at Santa Anita.
“He ran great,” trainer Chad Brown said. “He was training very well, it was a pretty salty group. I thought he drew well. Jose gave him a great ride. It was so nice to see him back. He’s a horse that always had a lot of ability but also had breaks in his career. He’s a nice horse, hopefully we can keep it going.”
Brown was not sure where Complexity would run next. The Grade 1, $300,000 Forego on Aug. 29 could be an option at Saratoga, where the horse won his career debut in September 2018.