St John's River Readies for Alabama
Dede McGehee’s St. John’s River turned in her final work Friday morning for the Grade 1, $500,000 TVG Alabama, clocking five furlongs in an easy 1:02.24.
With McGehee and trainer Andrew Leggio watching from the grandstand, jockey Robby Albarado broke off aboard the Delaware Oaks winner and Kentucky Oaks runner-up at the five-eighths pole, gradually increasing speed as he came down the lane.
“That’s good,” Leggio said after St. John’s River galloped out strongly. “Nice, easy move. I like what I saw. She did it very easy the first part and picked it up nicely.”
With a potentially short but powerful field projected for the Alabama, including TVG Acorn and TVG Coaching Club American Oaks winner It’s Tricky and Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty, Leggio said he was concerned about the pace scenario for St. John’s River. A deep closer, she came on late from 12th place in the Kentucky Oaks and was last of seven in the Delaware Oaks, which she won by a head. Nevertheless, he resisted putting St. John’s River through a faster drill leading up to the August 20 race.
“I didn’t want to take too much out of her,” he said. “I’d rather save her for the race.”