Dublin Fjord Stables, Racepoint Stables, Kevin D. Hilbert and Thomas O'Keefe's multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Drafted breezed a half-mile in :49.49 Saturday over the Belmont Park dirt training track.
Trainer David Duggan said the 9-year-old Field Commission gelding, who boasts a record of 10-3-5 from 35 career starts and purse earnings in excess of $1.1 million, will bypass a title defense in the six-furlong $175,000 Runhappy (G3) on May 13 at Belmont Park in favor of an allowance tilt at Laurel as he looks to secure his first win of the year.
The veteran gelding opened his campaign with a third-place finish in the Toboggan (G3) at Aqueduct in January ahead of a troubled sixth last out in the Tom Fool Handicap (G3) on March 4.
Drafted posted a record of 4-1-1 from nine starts last year led by NYRA circuit wins in the seven-furlong Toboggan and six-furlong Gravesend at the Big A, and the six-furlong Runhappy at Belmont Park. He also notched a rallying score in the six-furlong Mr. Prospector at Monmouth Park ahead of a runner-up effort in the Alapocas Run at Delaware Park.
“He's 9-years-old and doesn't need to be taking on these young guns,” Duggan said. “It's a salty group of sprinters here at the moment, so our plan is to go for an open allowance race at Laurel at the end of this month and try to win [stakes] back at Monmouth and Delaware. The Grade 3 here is going to look like a Grade 2 or a Grade 1.”
Duggan said he's content to pick his spots with the evergreen gelding.
“If we have to run him for a tag, then we won't run him anymore. He's made his million. He's been an iron horse,” Duggan said. “I'd like to run him at Saratoga if there's something available. We'll see how it plays out.”
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