Winter Memories Completes Lake Placid Preparations

Probable Grade 2 Woodford Reserve Lake Placid favorite Winter Memories completed major preparations for next Sunday’s race with a “perfect” 49.78 four-furlong breeze on the Oklahoma turf course this morning with regular rider Jose Lezcano aboard.

“She went off in :13 and a tick, :25 and change, :38, and :49 4/5,” said trainer Jimmy Toner. “So she went the last eighth in :11 4/5. We wanted her to relax early, and everything she did was perfect. It was exactly what we wanted. She had a pretty serious breeze last week [five furlongs on the turf in 59.29]. We didn’t want any 47s. We wanted her nice and relaxed and comfortable.”

Owned by Phillips Racing Partnership, Winter Memories has rattled off four graded stakes victories, including an easy triumph in the Grade 2 Lake George at Saratoga on July 27. Toner said the 3-year-old daughter of El Prado is eager to vie for her fifth graded score.

“She’s pretty sharp. She knows what’s coming,” said Toner. “We schooled her the other day, and she’s pretty good in the paddock, but going home she was a little ticked off because she didn’t get to run.”