Gulfstream Park Target for ‘Wicked’ Return

Centennial Farms’s Wicked Strong (Hard Spun), winner of the 2014 GI Twinspires.com Wood Memorial and narrow runner-up in the GI Travers S., is targeting the GII Gulfstream Park H. Mar. 7 for his return. He clipped heels and lost rider Rajiv Maragh when last seen in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park Sept. 27. Wicked Strong was also fourth in both the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont S. He worked five furlongs in 1:00 (1/26) at Palm Meadows Saturday. 

“He worked pretty even all the way,” trainer Jimmy Jerkens said. “It might have been a little fast early and a little slower at the end than we usually do, but a mile around one turn is a hard race. We thought he’d have to run pretty hard just to keep in touch with those kind of horses, so we thought he needed a good blow yesterday. Plus, we have time to come back and kind of do something else, too.” 

Jerkens concluded, “He’s been doing good, real good. He looks good and strong.”