Havana Finally Back on Work Tab

Grade 1 winner Havana returned to the work tab for the first time since his runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in November with a three-furlong breeze at Palm Meadows on Saturday.            

Winner of the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park in his second career start, Havana was timed in 37.75 with regular exercise rider Ezequiel Perez aboard.            

“I thought he worked really well and looked good,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “His fitness level was probably a little ahead of where I expected him to be. He went out very nicely, so we were pleased with that.”            

Owned by Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier, Havana went gate to wire to break his maiden at first asking last August at Saratoga Race Course, running 5 ½ furlongs in 56.34 seconds.            

Stretched out to a mile for the Champagne, Havana took a 4 ½-length lead into the stretch and held on to win by a neck over favored Honor Code in 1:10.12. In the Breeders’ Cup, Havana was in front by two lengths turning for home before being caught by New Year’s Day, beaten 1 ¼ lengths.            

“We just wanted to get him back on the work tab and get him back into a routine,” Pletcher said. “He was actually scheduled to work a couple days before but we had all that rain so we had to wait. We’re just trying to get him back on schedule and thought we made up quite a bit of ground today. He was more fit than I figured he would be.”            

Unable to make the $400,000 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (G2) on Feb. 22 with the missed time, Pletcher is instead pointing Havana to the $150,000 Swale (G2) at seven furlongs on March 1.            

“We are right now on schedule for the Swale,” Pletcher said.            

Pletcher said Sweet N Discreet, a handy 1 ½-length winner of the Sunshine Millions Distaff at Gulfstream on Jan. 18, will make her next start in the $100,000 Sabin (G3) on Feb. 16.            

Sweet N Discreet won the Distaff at 1 1/8 miles after finishing second in the one-mile Ocala Stakes at Gulfstream on Dec. 29. The Sabin is run at 1 1/16 miles.            

“I thought she ran well at a mile the time before, and ran really well at a mile and an eighth last time,” Pletcher said, “so we’ll try to keep her around two turns for now.”