Giacomo, Southern Africa put in final serious works

Giacomo will try to vindicate his Derby win with a victory in the Belmont (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Kentucky Derby (G1) hero GIACOMO (Holy Bull) worked six furlongs in 1:14 4/5

under exercise rider Sabina Siebel on Sunday over Hollywood Park's fast track to

prepare for next Saturday's Belmont S. (G1). It was the final serious work

before the Belmont for the John Shirreffs trainee, who ran third in the

Preakness S. (G1) last out.

"He went out there with his regular workmate, Bullistic (Holy Bull), and he

did what we wanted," Shirreffs said. "He targeted that horse and went right by.

The work went very well."

Giacomo is expected to ship to Belmont Park on Wednesday and get there in the

afternoon. His jockey, Mike Smith, is also expected to arrive on Wednesday.

Smith, a Hall of Fame rider, scored his first Derby win with Giacomo but returns

to familiar territory at the Elmont, New York, track having captured several

riding titles there.

Shirreffs is supposed to arrive Tuesday afternoon and be at the post position

draw on Wednesday morning at approximately 11:15 a.m. (EDT).

Also making his final workout on Sunday for the Belmont was Lone Star Derby (G3) winner SOUTHERN AFRICA (Cape Town),

who

covered three quarters in 1:13 over a fast Arlington track.

"He galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25 and we're ready to roll," trainer

Michael Puhich said. "He's going to van to Louisville (Kentucky) and fly out of

there (on Wednesday)."

Prior to his 1 1/4-length Lone Star Derby win, the dark bay colt ran second

in the rich WinStar Derby and scored a 1 1/4-length victory in the Borderland

Derby, both at Sunland Park. He finished fourth to juvenile champion Declan's

Moon (Malibu Moon) in the Hollywood Futurity (G1) in his final two-year-old

start last year.

"Now's the time to step back up and take a shot in a race like the Belmont,"

Puhich said. "I'm real confident."