Good Bye Greg Woody Stephens Bound

Patricia's Hope LLC's Good Bye Greg, who lit up the track on Derby Day at Arlington International Racecourse, has big plans according to trainer Larry Rivelli.  The muscular bay worked six furlongs Wednesday morning in 1:12.60 - best of five moves - in what was his third drill since his 13-length evisceration of his maiden special weight debut competition.

"He worked awesome," Rivelli exclaimed.  "We are going to run him in the (Grade II $500,000) Woody Stephens on Belmont Day.  I normally don't do that sort of thing, but this horse is the real deal.  His Beyer number was around 96 or 97 and he came out of it so well.  We are going to take a shot.  He couldn't be training any better.  I think he's going to run big."

In the work itself, the grandson of English champion Known Fact also impressed his conditioner with the gallop out.  "He was out seven furlongs in 1:25," Rivelli reported.  "I think seven-eighths will be perfect for him.  I'm not sure anything beyond one turn will suit him, but he could probably run up to a mile around one turn."

The Woody Stephens - previously the Riva Ridge - historically attracts the best sophomore sprinters in the land and has previously been won by such standouts as Fly So Free, Coronado's Quest, Lost in the Fog and Good Bye Greg's sire Teuflesberg.

"If he can control the pace of the race and then push his button, he's really dangerous," Rivelli explained of the colt making his dirt debut.  "He trained really well on the dirt at Hawthorne.  But, of course, you never know until you race over it.  (E. T.) Baird is going to ride him again."