Super Saturday prospects turn in works

Super Saturday prospects turn

in works

The Bob Baffert-trained MYTHICAL POWER (Congaree), runner-up to Quality Road

(Elusive Quality) in the Woodward S. (G1), worked five furlongs in 1:02 2/5 over

Belmont Park's fast main track Sunday in preparation for a possible start in

Saturday's $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (G1).

"Everything is good," reported John Terranova, who with his wife, Tonja,

oversees the Hall of Fame trainer's horses while in New York.

Jockey Club Gold Cup candidate REDDING COLLIERY (Mineshaft), most recently

second in the Philip H. Iselin S. (G3) at Monmouth Park on August 21, breezed

five furlongs in 1:02 for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

"He worked very well and we're taking a good look at the Gold Cup here,"

McLaughlin said. "TRANQUIL MANNER (A.P. Indy) is likely, also. It's a big purse

and he's doing well."

Tranquil Manner, a willing third behind Quality Road and Mythical Power in

the Woodward at Saratoga, had motored a half-mile in a bullet :47 on the

all-weather at Greentree Training Center on September 18.

Suburban H. (G2) victor HAYNESFIELD (Speightstown), a distant fourth in the

Whitney H. (G1) and possible for the Gold Cup, took a half-mile spin in :49

1/5..

FLY DOWN (Mineshaft), set to make his first start against older horses in the

Jockey Club Gold Cup, had worked four furlongs at Saratoga over the Oklahoma

Training Track in a bullet :46 1/5, the quickest of 25 moves at the distance.

"It was very good," Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito said. "We got what we were

looking for."

Fly Down won the Dwyer S. (G2) before going on to finish second in the

Belmont S. (G1), and he comes off a photo-finish loss to Afleet Express (Afleet

Alex) in the Travers S. (G1).

Two potential contestants in Saturday's Beldame S. (G1) posted their final

major works at Belmont Park on Sunday.

Grade 1 queen FUNNY MOON (Malibu Moon), last seen finishing a well-beaten

third in the Delaware H. (G2), covered five-eighths in 1:01 2/5.

"The Beldame is a bit quick back for her, so I do not know," trainer

Christophe Clement said of her status for the 1 1/8-mile affair.

Cinemine S. romper BONNIE BLUE FLAG (Mineshaft), runner-up in the Test S.

(G1) and third in the Prioress S. (G1) in her past two, zipped in 1:00 3/5 for

her expected start in the Beldame.

In other Beldame news, Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey continues to be

pleased with the progress of Personal Ensign S. (G1) heroine PERSISTENTLY (Smoke

Glacken), who breezed a half-mile in :49 4/5 Saturday.

"She doesn't need a lot of training," McGaughey said. "Obviously, I would

like the Beldame to be around two turns, but hopefully, just having lengthened

her out will have helped."

Trainer Todd Pletcher's principal Beldame prospects, Ogden Phipps H. (G1)

winner LIFE AT TEN (Malibu Moon) and multiple Grade 1 winner DEVIL MAY CARE

(Malibu Moon), emerged from Saturday's tandem five-furlong work in 1:00 in good

form, according to assistant trainer Jonathan Thomas.

Thomas added that Grade 2 victress AWESOME MARIA (Maria's Mon), who won the

first division of the Riskaverse S. over Saratoga's inner turf course, is also

possible for the Beldame.

"With her there are so many options," he said. "She could go out of town, go

to the Beldame, or even go back on turf."

Three likely candidates for Saturday's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational

(G1) were on Sunday work duty at Belmont.

The Sunday morning patrol at Belmont also included one expected starter in

Saturday's Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) -- multiple Grade 3 winner KEERTANA

(Johar), who skimmed the weeds in 1:02 3/5 for five furlongs. The Tom

Proctor filly was a 3 1/4-length scorer in the September 6 Glens Falls H. (G3)

last time out.

Japan's Flower Bowl representative RED DESIRE (Jpn) (Manhattan Cafe) had

pleased her connections with an easy 1:04 4/5 five-furlong breeze Saturday in

her first official workout in the United States.

"She went very easily and is a happy horse right now," said Nobutaka Tada,

racing manager for Tokyo Horseracing Co. Ltd. "Regarding her demeanor, she is a

calm and quiet filly with great character, and listens to people."

A Group 1 winner in her native Japan, Red Desire is using the Flower Bowl as

a springboard to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs on

November 5.

Grade 2 hero GIROLAMO (A.P. Indy) tuned up for Saturday's Vosburgh S. (G1) by

traveling five-eighths in 1:01 on Sunday.

Winner of the one-mile Jerome H. (G2) last fall and fifth in the Forego S.

(G1) at Saratoga in his belated comeback, the Godolphin colt will be cutting

back in distance for the six-furlong Vosburgh.

"With his pedigree, we'd like to take a shot at winning a Grade 1," said Rick

Mettee, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor. "Without Majesticperfection and

Big Drama (Montbrook) going to the race, we thought it might be a winnable Grade

1."

On Belmont's fast training track, Grade 3 conqueror WALL STREET WONDER

(City Place) negotiated four furlongs in :48 3/5 ahead of a possible tilt at the

Vosburgh. The Terranova trainee was most recently fourth as the favorite in

September 5 Icecapade S.