Texas Red Works Towards Comeback Race

Prepping for the $500,000 GII Dwyer S. over Belmont’s one-turn mile July 4, last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile upsetter Texas Red (Afleet Alex) went six furlongs in 1:14.60 Saturday morning at Santa Anita. The bay colt worked in the company of his 2-year-old stablemate Go Long (Congrats), with Kent Desormeaux in the irons for his brother Keith. 

“He looks tremendous in flesh and in color,” said clocker Toby Turrell of Winner’s Card, speaking of Texas Red. “He’s carrying his weight beautifully and went by his mate easily. He’s right on course. He has more flesh on him than he’s ever had before.” 

A maiden winner when trying two turns for the first time over the Del Mar Polytrack last August, Texas Red finished 4 3/4 lengths in back of champion American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) in Santa Anita’s GI FrontRunner S. before springing a 13-1 surprise from the back of the pack on Breeders’ Cup Saturday. The neck runner-up in the GII San Vicente S. going seven furlongs Feb. 1, Texas Red was subsequently sidelined with a foot abscess and was ruled off the Triple Crown trail.