Fresh off his 27-1, front-running upset of the GII Jim Dandy S. July 30, Laoban (Uncle Mo) had trainer Eric Guillot gushing after the colt worked five furlongs :59.77, the fastest of 31 at the distance, as he preps for the Mid-Summer Derby next Saturday.
Partnered by jockey Jose Ortiz, Laoban made his way onto the main track just after 6 a.m. and clicked off fractions of :24 and :35 2/5. He overtook his company, an unraced Shackleford colt, as they turned into the stretch and dove down onto the fence to pass another worker as they neared the line.
Always quick with his Cajun-infused humor, Guillot said, “He worked like a beaver with an overactive thyroid trying to dam the mouth of the Mississippi. That's how good that work was. It was incredible.”
Guillot said he had Laoban galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 1/5 and seven panels in 1:25 1/5.
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