Force Freeze Works for Sprint Championship

Saeed Naser al Romalthi’s 7-year-old gelding Force Freeze worked a strong half-mile in :47 2/5 from the gate Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park in preparation for his role as the likely favorite and horse to beat in Saturday’s $150,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship (G2) at seven furlongs.

“That (work) put the finishing touches on him and we just have to keep him happy up to the race,” said Walder later in the morning. “My only concern is the distance, particularly coming off the layoff. Seven furlongs is a tricky distance. I think he can run with any horse in the country at six furlongs. Paco (Lopez) is confident that the distance will be no problem. I’m excited to get him started back.”

Force Freeze launches a new campaign after a very game runner-up effort in the $1.5 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5 when ridden by John Velazquez and beaten a neck by Amazombie, later voted Eclipse champion sprinter for the season.

A Kentucky-bred by Forest Camp, Force Freeze raced in Dubai during the 2010 season and through March last year before being sent to Walder at Monmouth Park early last summer. In two starts before the Breeders’ Cup he won the Teddy Drone Stakes at Monmouth by four lengths and finished second by a half-length in the Vosburgh Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on Oct. 1, both times ridden by Lopez.