M M G Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' El Areeb (Exchange Rate), most recently third after attending an above-par pace in the GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct Mar. 4, is likely to return to the Big Apple for a final GI Kentucky Derby prep in the GII Wood Memorial S. at the Big A Apr. 8.
The gray colt returned to the worktab Friday for the first time since the Gotham, breezing a half-mile in a leisurely :51.40 (video) with trainer Cal Lynch's son Charlie in the irons. El Areeb worked in the company of Winter (Awesome Again), a recent dual stakes winner who makes her next start in the GII Top Flight Invitational H. at Aqueduct Apr. 3.
“We two-minute licked him a mile and then finished up the last half-mile, and he did everything right. We were very pleased with him and Winter, as well,” Lynch said. “We just wanted to put a little bit more pressure on him and start to make him get a little bit more out of his works. That was his first work since he ran so it was just an easy work today. We put him in company to keep his attention a little bit. Maybe we got a little soft with him and were trying to baby him a little bit, and that's not what got him here.”
If not the Wood, Lynch is looking to Kentucky for El Areeb's next start.
“The Wood looks like the option, but I've still got to talk to the owners and he's got to work another time or two before we're satisfied that he's good to go,” Lynch said. “He's got enough points now that if they want to just wait and go there we can do that, but the Wood would be the logical spot.”
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