Giant Oak works for Secretariat

Giant Oak is gunning for two-thirds of the Mid-America Triple (Four Footed Fotos) GIANT OAK (Giant's Causeway) completed a five-furlong maintenance breeze in 1:06 4/5 Monday morning over Arlington's firm turf course while the "dogs" were well out from the rail. The winner of the 75th running of the May 23 Arlington Classic, the first leg of Arlington's Mid-America Triple, the Chris Block trainee is tuning up for the third leg, Saturday's Secretariat S. (G1). Regular rider Eddie Razo was aboard for Monday's move. The chestnut colt galloped out six furlongs in 1:20, with owners Virginia and Rudy Tarra looking on from the Arlington apron. "I thought (the work) went good," Block said later Monday morning. "It was just what we were looking for. I'm very pleased with it."

In the July 11 American Derby (G2), the middle leg of the Triple, Giant Oak

was steadied in the stretch run and bumped repeatedly, finishing fifth under the

wire -- beaten two lengths for the win -- but was subsequently placed fourth.

"It was all over after he got knocked around like that," Block said shortly

after the American Derby. "Once that all happened, he was just spinning his

wheels out there."

Hoosier Kingdom will try to make his home state proud (Four Footed Fotos) Secretariat candidate HOOSIER KINGDOM (Repent), a 4 1/4-length winner of the Governor's S. at Indiana Downs last out, was also out for a bit of exercise on the Arlington turf. "I think he went really, really well this morning," trainer and co-owner Ron Herrell said. "The exercise rider (Robert Martinez) told me, 'This is nothing but a class horse, you have here,' and I have to agree with him about that. "It's been fun, having a horse good enough to get a chance to run in a race like (the Secretariat)," Herrell said, "and we've all had a good time. It's been a family thing for all of us. Hoosier Kingdom has always trained well and always had good numbers, but even I've been surprised by some of his margins of victory.

"Although (Hoosier Kingdom) was foaled in Indiana eight miles away from where

I live, I had to go to Florida to get him," Herrell said. "Someone back home

told me about the horse and I agreed to drive down to Ocala to take a look at

him (in the June 2008 OBS two-year-olds in training sale). I figured he'd cost

about $50,000 and we weren't about to go that high, but we got him for $22,000. 

"I went down there with the intention to buy him for all three of us, but if

my partners had not wanted to stay in with me like they did, I'd have bought him

myself.  No matter what happens Saturday, I feel like we're all walking winners

from this whole experience.

"Also, I've learned to keep everything in perspective now because I had a

heart attack last year." Herrell concluded. "My wife Jan is a cardiac nurse, and

even though I drove myself to the hospital almost immediately, the doctors found

out I was suffering from a complete blockage in the right side of my heart. They

put a stint in right away. It was on a Saturday and on Sunday morning they

released me from the hospital and I was able to go right to church. Now, I feel

like I'm good as new."