Fort Larned, Hymn Book drill for Jockey Club Gold Cup

At Belmont Park on Sunday, Grade 1 Whitney Invitational Handicap winner Fort

Larned turned in his final serious work for Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million

Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational, covering five furlongs in 1:01 shortly after

6:30 a.m. (EDT).

Exercise rider Kate Merritt was aboard for the move, which tied for the

fourth-fastest of 11 at the distance over the main track listed as good.

"He did exactly what we wanted him to do, and went very well," said Peggy

Dunleavy, assistant to trainer Ian Wilkes. "He was very professional, and did it

the right way."

The four-year-old Fort Larned heads into the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup

having put together impressive back-to-back victories in the August 4 Whitney

and the Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker on June 30, recording BRIS Speed

ratings of 109 and 106, respectively.

Jockey Club Gold Cup contender Hymn Book fired a bullet Sunday morning, to

the delight of Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

The Grade 1 Donn Handicap hero zipped a half-mile in :46 4/5, tying for the

fastest of 18 at the distance over the good main track.

"I wanted to do something more with Hymn Book because he hasn't raced in two

months," McGaughey said of the Stuart S. Janney colorbearer, most recently

fourth to Fort Larned in the Whitney.

"I'm very pleased with both of them," the trainer added, including turf star

Point of Entry, who is bound for Saturday's Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Invitational.