All Systems Go for Pharoah
Triple Crown hopeful American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) schooled in the gate at Churchill Downs Friday morning before galloping 1 1/8 miles under regular rider Jorge Alvarez. (Video)
“Everything was great this morning–no problem,” Alvarez said. “He looked real professional. This is good what they’re doing by closing the track for us and letting us train. That makes my job a lot easier.”
Trainer Bob Baffert’s chief assistant Jimmy Barnes said the Zayat Stables homebred would likely gallop 1 1/4 miles Saturday morning.
“You see everything that you expect to see,” Barnes said. “Nothing alarming; everything is super positive. This is absolutely normal going into any race the way that we’re doing. We have really nothing to deal with other than keeping him happy. Everything is going smooth.”
Baffert is expected to return to Louisville Saturday night to supervise American Pharoah’s next breeze, which will take place either Sunday or Monday.
PLETCHER PLEASED WITH BELMONT TRIO
The Todd Pletcher-trained trio of Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway), Madefromlucky (Lookin at Lucky) and Materiality (Afleet Alex) all appear to be officially GI Belmont S. bound following good breezes from all three contenders Friday morning in Elmont.
“I need to talk to all the connections, but I’m sure everyone is on board with all three of them [running]. We intend to run all three at this moment,” the two-time Belmont winning conditioner said.
WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Stables’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Carpe Diem and Cheyenne Stables and Mac Nichol’s Madefromlucky were the first to breeze early Friday. Carpe Diem’s regular jockey John Velazquez piloted the GI Blue Grass S. hero and exercise rider Patti Krotenko was aboard Madefromlucky.
Carpe Diem, who worked to the outside of his stablemate and finished several lengths ahead, completed the half-mile in :47.66 (3/33) and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.59. (Video) Under urging from Krotenko, Madefromlucky stopped the clock in :47.84 (6/33) for the half-mile work and galloped out five panels in 1:01.10.
“I thought both horses worked well enough today to continue considering the Belmont,” Pletcher said. “I didn’t see anything that would deter me from it. I’ll see how they come out of it, and talk with everybody, but we worked with the intention of running in the Belmont, and I thought they both worked well.”
The seven-time Eclipse winner added, “I don’t think this work was as impressive from [Madefromlucky] as last week [when he fired a five-furlong co-bullet alongside Carpe Diem in :59.01]. I think, like a lot of horses, they will tend to work better when they are on the outside [rather] than the inside.”
After the renovation break, Velazquez was back on the track aboard Alto Racing’s Materiality, who worked in company with possible GII Woody Stephens S. contender Stanford (Malibu Moon). The ‘TDN Rising Star’ worked to the inside of Stanford and the pair breezed a half-mile in :47.78 (4/33) with a five-furlong gallop-out in 1:00.32. (Video)
“I thought [Materiality] worked very well,” Pletcher said. “You know, he’s the kind of horse who kind of does what his workmate does. It was a very good, progressive breeze, picking it up as they went along, with a very strong gallop out. [Materiality] came back and he wasn’t even blowing. He just took it all very well.”
Carpe Diem and Materiality were 10th and sixth, respectively, in the GI Kentucky Derby May 2, while Madefromlucky enters off a victory in this venue’s GII Peter Pan S. May 10. Rider assignments for the trio have not been made official at this time, but Pletcher has retained the services of Velazquez and Javier Castellano, who piloted Materiality in the Derby and Madefromlucky in the Peter Pan.
FROSTED PUTS IN FINAL BELMONT BREEZE
Godolphin Racing homebred Frosted (Tapit) worked four furlongs in :47.84 (6/33) in Elmont Friday morning in his last piece of serious work prior to a start in the GI Belmont S. June 6. (Video)
Piloted by exercise rider Lorenzo Morales, the GI TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial hero worked in company with GI Metropolitan H. contender and G2 Godolphin Mile winner Tamarkuz (Speightstown), who was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. Frosted broke from the half-mile pole a length ahead of his stablemate, lead throughout and finished a half-length in front.
“They went great,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin remarked. “[Frosted] worked so well last week with Tamarkuz we decided to do the same thing today. They went 47 and four and [out in five furlongs] in a minute and three fifths. It couldn’t have gone better. We’re all set.”
Godolphin Racing’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Bay of Plenty (Medaglia d’Oro), who finished second in the GIII Discovery H. Nov. 1 and returned to win a Belmont optional claimer Apr. 29, will also go to the Met Mile.
“He had some time off and he came back and won his last race impressively,” McLaughlin said. “It’s a tough race but we’ve got to give him a chance.”