Gronkowski puts in 'strong work' leading up to 2018 Travers

Grade 1 Belmont Stakes runner-up Gronkowski breezed five furlongs in 1:01.44 on the Saratoga main track Sunday morning, completing his fourth work at Saratoga leading up to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 25.

Trained by Chad Brown, Gronkowski worked five furlongs for a third straight week, going over a track listed as good. Jose Ortiz, who piloted Gronkowski to his late-running second-place finish in the June 9 Belmont, is tabbed to ride fellow Brown trainee Good Magic in the Mid-Summer Derby. Joel Rosario was aboard Gronkowski for Sunday's move and has the mount for the Travers, said Brown.

"It was his first time on the horse," Brown said of Rosario. "I thought the horse worked extremely well. Particularly his gallop out, [it] was strong. [He] galloped out pretty solid, 1:13 and change, 1:26 and four[-fifths], a strong work. We've got him where we need him."

The Kentucky-bred Lonhro colt boasted four wins from six starts in Europe before getting transferred to Brown's care. In the Belmont Stakes, he rallied from last of 10 to finish 1 ¾ lengths behind Justify in his Triple Crown-winning effort, marking an impressive North American debut.

"I've only run him one time," said Brown. "He didn't break well from the gate. He got a great, great ride from Jose. He had a good trip in the Belmont despite the break and after that, he got a really good trip. He's a pretty straightforward, smart horse. I don't see anything complicated about him."

Also on Sunday, OXO Equine's Instilled Regard breezed four furlongs in 49.55 seconds over the main track. It was the fourth work at Saratoga since the 3-year-old Kentucky-bred by Arch was transferred from Jerry Hollendorfer's barn to Brown in June.

"He's another one I thought had a nice gallop out," he said. "A good breeze, real strong gallop out. He's still on target for the Pennsylvania Derby [Grade 1, $1 million, September 22]. I'm not going to try and sneak a prep in there."

Winner of the Grade 3 Lecomte in January, Instilled Regard finished fourth in both the Grade 2 Risen Star and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. He finished fourth again in the Kentucky Derby, his most recent effort, weaving through heavy stretch traffic to round out the superfecta at odds of 85-1 on May 5.