Leading sophomore Mohaymen (Tapit) worked a bullet five furlongs in :59.40 at Palm Meadows Thursday in his final drill before next Saturday's GII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream. “He worked great and he continues to do well,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “That was a really nice work. We're a little more than a week away, and we're all excited.”
The grey has recorded four works since shipping down from New York to South Florida last month. “I wanted him to go [a half-mile] in :48 and he went in :47. It was a little quicker, but he is just doing so well. He did it all on his own and he doesn't blow at all coming back. He cools out so quick. We're all set. All systems are go.”
A debut winner sprinting at Belmont Sept. 19, Shadwell Stable's $2.2-million KEESEP yearling purchase annexed the GII Nashua S. and GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct Nov. 4 and Nov. 28, respectively. “He's just always done so well except Nashua day when he was a little naughty in the gate and in the paddock,” McLaughlin noted. “He's been to the gate a few times here and he's been perfect. We're not going to take him [to Gulfstream] to school. I think he's going to be good.”
McLaughlin took the Holy Bull in 2014 with Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile), and finished second last year with subsequent GI Wood Memorial S. winner Frosted (Tapit).
“I would probably like to see him laying third or fourth and hopefully not draw inside, maybe draw from four to eight and have a chance to be in the clear a little bit; although, he handles everything great,” the conditioner added. “I couldn't be more pleased. He's doing great. It's great fun. This is what it's all about. He makes our job easy and fun.”
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