Drain The Clock Works Toward Smile Sprint, Eyes Breeders’ Cup ‘Dirt Dozen’ Credit

Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig's Drain the Clock breezed a sharp four furlongs at Gulfstream Park Sunday morning in preparation for a planned start at the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track in the $100,000 Smile Sprint (G3) July 2.

The Grade 1-winning son of Maclean's Music was timed in 47.94 seconds for his fifth workout since finishing seventh in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on the March 26 Dubai World Cup (G1) undercard.

“Today was his second to last work – his final stiff work [before the Smile],” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “He worked really well.”

Drain the Clock, who captured the Bay Shore (G3) at Aqueduct and Woody Stephens (G1) at Belmont Park last year, began his season with an optional claiming allowance win and a second-place finish in the Gulfstream Park Sprint before being shipped to Dubai.

The Smile will be featured on the Summit of Speed program headlined by the $300,000 Princess Rooney Invitational (G2), a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares that has been designated as a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' event.

The Smile is one of 12 graded dirt stakes included in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen, an incentive-based participation bonus program. The winner of the Smile will earn a $30,000 credit toward the entry fee for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 5 at Keeneland. The second-place finisher will earn a $15,000 credit, while the show horse will earn a $7,500 credit.

Joseph-trained Allworthy breezed five furlongs in 1:00.94 at Gulfstream Sunday morning for a planned start in the Princess Rooney. The graded stakes-placed daughter of Tonalist is coming off an impressive optional claiming allowance win at Churchill Downs.

“We cut her back last time and it seemed to work,” Joseph said. “Ce Ce, the defending champ and Breeder's Cup winner, will be tough, but Allworthy is going to run good.”

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