Jerkens ponders Grade 1 winner Delta Prince's next start

Stronach Stables' Delta Prince returned to the work tab for the first time since winning his first Grade 1 in the Makers 46 Mile last month at Keeneland when he posted a half-mile breeze in 50.24 seconds over the Belmont Park training track on Friday morning.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens was unsure as to where the royally-bred son of Street Cry would make his next start, but mentioned the Grade 1 $500,000 Shoemaker Mile on May 27 at Santa Anita as a possibility.

"It was a good work, we didn't want to do too much with him," Jerkens said. "I still don't know what we're going to do with him. The Shoemaker Mile was brought up, but we'll probably point toward the [Grade 1, $500,000] Fourstardave [on August 10 at Saratoga]."

Delta Prince was second in the 2018 Fourstardave, finishing a neck behind Voodoo Song.

Never worse than fourth in 13 career starts, Delta Prince has acquired $1,173,819 in lifetime earnings. Prior to his win in the Makers 46 Mile, he was third behind Bricks and Mortar in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf on January 26 at Gulfstream Park. He also captured last year's Grade 2 King Edward at Woodbine.

Holy Helena was scratched as the morning-line favorite for Saturday's Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay due to a soft turf course.

Jerkens said the Grade 3, $150,000 Gallorette on May 17 at Pimlico is a possibility for Holy Helena's next start.

"I thought the turf was too soft for her and it's a long way to go to run on something like that," Jerkens said. "We're nominated to the Gallorette and we might go back to Canada with her at some point."

Bred in Ontario, Holy Helena was the winner of the Woodbine Oaks and Canada's crown jewel - the Queen's Plate - two years back. She shipped to Woodbine last year for the Grade 3 Dance Smartly where she third, defeated 3 ¾ lengths by Santa Monica. A three-time graded stakes winning daughter of Ghostzapper, Holy Helena has banked $1,175,578 in career earnings.

Centennial Farms' stakes winner Mihos, who has not raced since finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Holy Bull on February 2 at Gulfstream Park is expected to return to the work tab soon.

Jerkens said the two-time winning son of Cairo Prince is training forwardly.

"He had a little setback," Jerkens said. "He's on his way back and he's getting pretty close to his first breeze. He'll be back on the work tab soon."