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On Fire Baby, Pool Play among workers readying for upcoming Churchill stakes Anita Cauley's homebred On Fire Baby continued her preparations for the Grade 2, $175,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap on June 15 with a seven-furlong breeze in 1:26 1/5 over the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning. Working under regular rider Joe Johnson, the gray daughter of Smoke Glacken recorded fractions of :13, :25 1/5, :37 1/5 and 1:01 4/5 before galloping out a mile in 1:40 3/5. "She worked great and now she's back in her stall munching on hay," Cauley said following the work. "She seems really happy. Knock on wood, everything is good." On Fire Baby began her 2013 campaign with a half-length victory in the Apple Blossom Handicap and then finished a head behind Authenticity in the La Troienne at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day. "I was so proud of her," Cauley said. "Both of those fillies wanted to win so badly and that's what horse racing is all about." The four-year-old miss completed the Pocahontas-Golden Rod double at Churchill Downs as a juvenile, and has won half of her 10 while accumulating $720,308 in lifetime earnings. Trainer Mark Casse had a pair of his stable stars working at Churchill on Saturday as well. Pool Play, winner of the 2011 Stephen Foster, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 following a pair of sixth-place runs against graded rivals in his last two. "We were looking for an easy work and that's what he got," assistant trainer Norman Casse said of the five-year-old. "I thought he worked great." Pool Play opened his 2013 campaign with a close second in the Hal's Hope but proceeded to be sixth in his next two against graded rivals. The dark bay son of Silver Deputy is under consideration for this year's edition of the Grade 1, $500,000 Stephen Foster, which will also take place on June 15 under the Twin Spires. Stablemate Uncaptured, who completed the Iroquois-Kentucky Jockey Club double last year at Churchill, breezed five furlongs in 1:02 on Saturday for Casse. The Lion Heart sophomore was voted Canada's Horse of the Year and champion two-year-old male of 2012 after scoring in all but one of his seven starts last season. Most recently second in the Wando at Woodbine, Uncaptured is being pointed toward the Grade 3, $100,000 Matt Winn on the Stephen Foster undercard. Kenny McPeek sent out his candidate for the Stephen Foster, Golden Ticket, along with Frac Daddy to record moves on Saturday. Golden Ticket, who finished in a dead-heat for the win with Alpha in last year's Travers, breezed four furlongs in :51 3/5. The four-year-old son of Speightstown has finished third and fourth in two Grade 3 contests that were sandwiched between a pair of easy optional claiming victories thus far this season. Frac Daddy, runner-up in the Arkansas Derby and most recently 16th in the Kentucky Derby, breezed a half-mile in :47 1/5. It was the fastest half-mile work of 59 at the distance. McPeek said the Scat Daddy colt is being pointed toward an allowance race. Frac Daddy's lone win in seven career starts came when he broke his maiden by 9 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs last November. Silver Max, winner of last year's Virginia Derby and American Turf, and most recently fourth in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 for trainer Dale Romans. The Badge of Silver four-year-old recorded the fourth fastest work of 27 at the distance. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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