Destin on track for Dandy

Twin Creeks Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Destin (Giant's Causeway), off since finishing an agonizingly close second in the June 11 GI Belmont S., went five furlongs in 1:00.87 Friday and remains on target for Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga.

“He's doing excellent,” trainer Todd Pletcher reported. “I thought he worked very well and came out of it good and if everybody stays on board for what they're supposed to be doing, I believe we're just going to stay here and run in the Jim Dandy.”

Destin worked in company Friday with Stradivari (Medaglia d'Oro), who suffered career-ending injuries during the work. Pletcher said the sophomore, fourth in the GI Preakness S. and fifth in the GI Belmont S., remains stable at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and will likely undergo surgery Tuesday if “everything goes well over the next 48 hours.” Stradivari suffered a lateral condylar fracture and an axial fracture of a sesamoid in his right foreleg while galloping out after his five-furlong work.

Pletcher unveiled a promising juvenile in Saratoga's sixth race Saturday and China Horse Club and WinStar Farm's One Liner (Into Mischief) may have earned himself a start in the Sept. 5 GI Hopeful S. with his impressive first-out win (video).

“It was kind of what we were expecting from him based on the way he'd been training,” Pletcher said of the race. “He had been pretty professional in the mornings and I liked the fact that he drew toward the outside and was able to put himself in a good spot without having to shove on him the whole way. It was a good professional debut. I would think we would consider a race like the Hopeful, but we'll see how he trains and let that guide us.”

Unbeaten Far From Over (Blame), winner of last year's GIII Withers S. in his second career start, worked five furlongs in company over the Oklahoma training track Sunday in 1:02.03 (6/12). The 4-year-old returned from 16 months on the sidelines to take an optional claimer at Belmont Park June 24.

“He's been training very well,” Pletcher said of the bay who runs for Black Rock Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables and James Covello. “We've been very pleased with him. I thought his comeback race was quite good. I like what we're seeing in the morning. I'd like to get a real nice, cozy allowance race for him sometime in the next three weeks.”