Frostmourne will not make trip to Arlington for Secretariat
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Photo:
Annette Jasko
Green Lantern Stable's multiple graded stakes winner Frostmourne skipped a planned breeze last weekend and will not make the trip to Arlington Park for the Grade 1 Secretariat on Saturday, trainer Christophe Clement said Wednesday morning.
"The horse is doing fine, I just thought he wasn't training as well as he should be," Clement said. "So, he missed the work and he won't be able to go to the Secretariat. He's having an easy week and then we'll regroup sometime this weekend to decide what to do."
Frostmourne, a 3-year-old colt by Speightstown, stretched out to 1 1/8 miles on the grass for the first time to pick up his second straight stakes win with a six-length score in the Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park on July 15. Prior to the Kent, Frostmourne notched his first graded stakes victory by 1 ¼ lengths in the Grade 2 Penn Mile at Penn National.
In his most recent breeze, Frostmourne worked five furlongs over the Oklahoma turf in 1:01.55 on July 30, his first work since the Kent. He could be put under consideration for the Grade 3, $300,000 Saranac for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on the turf September 2.
"At the moment, everything is a possibility as long as the horse is fine," Clement said. "We'll just see how he is during the week and go from there."
Grade 3 Schuylerville runner-up Best Performance is likely to make another appearance this summer at the Spa, said Clement, who is eyeing something towards the end of the meet. The 2-year-old filly by Broken Vow has been no worse than second in three career starts, all on the dirt, including a second-place finish to I Still Miss You in the June 8 Astoria at Belmont Park.
On Monday, Best Performance turned in her first work over the turf, breezing a half-mile over the Oklahoma track in 51.21 seconds.
"She came out of her race in good shape," Clement said. "We'll give her a bit of time before we bring her back. She's eligible for many, many races, including the [Grade 1, $350,000] Spinaway. I've got to make my mind up in the next week or 10 days and speak to the owners. She's doing well."
"The horse is doing fine, I just thought he wasn't training as well as he should be," Clement said. "So, he missed the work and he won't be able to go to the Secretariat. He's having an easy week and then we'll regroup sometime this weekend to decide what to do."
Frostmourne, a 3-year-old colt by Speightstown, stretched out to 1 1/8 miles on the grass for the first time to pick up his second straight stakes win with a six-length score in the Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park on July 15. Prior to the Kent, Frostmourne notched his first graded stakes victory by 1 ¼ lengths in the Grade 2 Penn Mile at Penn National.
In his most recent breeze, Frostmourne worked five furlongs over the Oklahoma turf in 1:01.55 on July 30, his first work since the Kent. He could be put under consideration for the Grade 3, $300,000 Saranac for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on the turf September 2.
"At the moment, everything is a possibility as long as the horse is fine," Clement said. "We'll just see how he is during the week and go from there."
Grade 3 Schuylerville runner-up Best Performance is likely to make another appearance this summer at the Spa, said Clement, who is eyeing something towards the end of the meet. The 2-year-old filly by Broken Vow has been no worse than second in three career starts, all on the dirt, including a second-place finish to I Still Miss You in the June 8 Astoria at Belmont Park.
On Monday, Best Performance turned in her first work over the turf, breezing a half-mile over the Oklahoma track in 51.21 seconds.
"She came out of her race in good shape," Clement said. "We'll give her a bit of time before we bring her back. She's eligible for many, many races, including the [Grade 1, $350,000] Spinaway. I've got to make my mind up in the next week or 10 days and speak to the owners. She's doing well."
* * *
With five wins, three second place finishes and four thirds through the first four weeks of the meet, trainer Linda Rice said Wednesday she was pleased with her barn's progress but was still looking for more success in the future.
"Everything's been going well overall," said Rice. "We've got some wins under our belt and obviously, we've had some seconds or thirds, where with a different trip we thought we could've won, but so does everyone else."
Multiple graded stakes winner King Kreesa,who was transferred to Rice's barn earlier this year, breezed Monday on the Oklahoma turf course, logging four furlongs in 49.44 seconds. The hard-knocking 8-year-old veteran will be pointing next to the $150,000 West Point on Friday, August 25 New York Showcase Day, Rice said.
Four-year-old Matt King Coal, who last out ran third in the West Virginia Governor's Stakes at Mountaineer on August 4, has come out of the race in good shape, said Rice.
"I think the track was a little bit cuppy out there," she said. "He likes it a little faster, but I think it was a step in the right direction."
Rice also reported Lady Shelia Stable's graded stakes winner Hot City Girl exited a five-furlong work on the main track in 1:00.76 in good shape and would be pointed for the $100,000 Union Avenue on Thursday, August 17.
Source: NYRA Communications
Source: NYRA Communications
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