Rich Strike, Breeders' Cup Sprint candidates work
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, a contender for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Breeders’ Cup Sprint contenders Jackie’s Warrior and Aloha West recorded timed workouts Tuesday morning at Keeneland.
Rich Strike was one of the first horses on the main track and proceeded to work five furlongs in 1:02.60 with Gabriel Lagunes aboard for trainer Eric Reed.
Winner of this spring’s Kentucky Derby, Rich Strike is expected to start in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 5.
Rich Strike’s opening quarter-mile was 26.20 seconds, and he galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.6 and pulled up at the five-eighths pole.
“Slow and steady,” Reed said. “I don’t want to get him too sharp too soon. I got what I wanted this morning, and he’ll get back to work Thursday with a jog or light gallop. I just have to keep him on the ground for the next 11, 12 days.”
Meanwhile, the first- and sixth-place finishers from the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar tuned up for a possible return engagement Tuesday morning with bullet five-furlong works.
Aloha West, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ defending Sprint champion, worked five-eighths in 58.6 seconds with a final quarter-mile of 23 seconds and change and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.4 for trainer Wayne Catalano.
Winner of the Kelly’s Landing Stakes at Churchill Downs in his most recent start on July 2, Aloha West’s work this morning was his fourth since returning to the work tab Oct. 6.
A couple of hours prior, champion Jackie’s Warrior – sixth in last year’s Sprint – worked five furlongs in 58.6 seconds in company with County Final, a 4-year-old stakes winner.
Trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, Jackie’s Warrior produced fractions of 24, 35.6, 46.6, 58.6 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.
Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland on Nov. 4-5 will be released Wednesday.
The star attraction, expected Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Flightline, also was on the Keeneland track on Tuesday, galloping a mile and a quarter under Juan Leyva shortly after the main track opened for training.
Trained by John Sadler, Flightline arrived at Keeneland Sunday afternoon and Monday morning jogged once around the track under Leyva. Flightline is scheduled to have his final work on Saturday, depending on weather, before his anticipated run in the $6 million Classic on Nov. 5.
Following the first track renovation break at 7:30, Leyva was back on the track with Hronis Racing’s Edgeway, who worked a half-mile in 46 seconds in advance of an expected start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint to be run Nov. 5.
Edgeway, who was second to Ce Ce in that race last year at Del Mar, produced fractions of 23.4, 34.2 and 46 seconds, with a gallop out at five-eighths of:58.6 seconds. The half-mile time was the best of 18 at the distance.
“She went real nice this morning and got over the track well,” Leyva said. “The track was nice and tight. She will probably work again Monday.”
Sadler has one other possible Breeders’ Cup runner here for Hronis Racing: two-time graded stakes winner Bran, who is being pointed to the $1 million Turf Sprint. Leyva said Bran would most likely work Friday.