Gemologist clocks five-eighths in final work for Wood

Undefeated Gemologist turned in his final serious work for Saturday's Grade

1, $1 million Wood Memorial Stakes Sunday morning at Palm Meadows Training

Center, breezing five furlongs in 1:00 2/5. Exercise rider Hector Ramos was

aboard for the move, the fastest of six workouts at the distance.

"I was really, really pleased," said Todd Pletcher, who trains the homebred

son of Tiznow for WinStar Farm, by telephone. "He was going well, in hand,

throughout."

Winner of all three of his 2011 starts, including the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey

Club at Churchill Downs on November 26, Gemologist returned to the races on

March 16 at Gulfstream Park, going wire-to-wire in posting a seven-length

allowance victory over Grade 1 Hopeful winner Currency Swap. His time for the

mile was 1:35 4/5 on that day.

"We came in with high hopes this winter, as he was undefeated as a

two-year-old with two wins at Churchill Downs," Pletcher admitted. "Because his

return was delayed, he might have been a little under the radar for some, but

certainly not for us. From a conditioning standpoint, I thought he got exactly

what he needed (out of the comeback race). Hopefully, he continues moving

forwardly."

Pletcher said Gemologist was scheduled to be flown from Florida to New York

on Wednesday for the 1 1/8-mile Wood, the centerpiece of Saturday's 11-race card

at Aqueduct.

Also turning in his final preparations for the Wood Sunday morning was Broad

Brush Stakes winner Street Life. Under Junior Alvarado, the Street Sense colt

breezed a half-mile in :48 over Belmont Park's training track -- the co-second

fastest of 43 at the distance -- and galloped out in 1:00 3/5.

"He did it easy, in hand, no problem," said Cherie DeVaux, assistant to

trainer Chad Brown. "He breezes faster than he runs; he's got it figured out. He

knows what he's doing. And, he came back well."

Unraced as a juvenile, Street Life finished eighth in his debut at Gulfstream

Park in January before joining Brown's New York string. He then made a pair of

starts around two turns on the inner track, coming from far back to earn his

diploma on February 11 and closing from midpack to take the Broad Brush

overnight stakes on March 17. He is owned by Magnolia Racing Stable and Hidden

Brook Farm, with the former having bought into the colt following his maiden

win.

Barry Schwartz's The Lumber Guy, who will be making his third career start in

the Wood Memorial, turned in a 1:01 4/5 five-furlong breeze on Sunday over

Belmont's training track.

"He went in 1:01 and change and did most of it the last three-eighths of a

mile, and the gallop out was good," trainer Michael Hushion commented. "He went

out in 1:16. I thought it was fine. I'm happy with it. I think we're going to

give (the Wood) a try."

The Lumber Guy is unbeaten and untested so far in his brief career, having

debuted a 9 1/4-length winner at Aqueduct on January 28 and taking Laurel Park's

Miracle Wood Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths on February 25. The Wood Memorial will be

his first start beyond seven furlongs, but Hushion is willing to take a shot

based off what he has seen from his protégé.

"He's just a man, kind of at the level where you'd like them to be -- strong,

a little bit of a bully, and he eats real good," Hushion explained. "That's the

way you want a horse like that to be, but he's not over the top either. He's a

nice horse to train."