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Steve Asmussen's trio of Preakness contenders each had the easy half-mile workout Monday that is typical for the Hall of Fame trainer's horses five days before a race.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pneumatic, winner of Monmouth Park's Pegasus Stakes in his last start after finishing fourth in the Belmont Stakes (G1), worked a half-mile in 50.20 seconds over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga. Max Player and Excession each were timed in 49.80 seconds at Churchill Downs.

“It's what we asked for, and they handled it really well,” Asmussen said of the three colts. “Pneumatic is doing extremely well since his win in the Pegasus. We're excited about getting him the opportunity at this level.”

Pneumatic drew Preakness Post No. 10 Monday.

“He had an outside draw in the Pegasus, a little bit shorter field, but an outside draw nonetheless,” Asmussen said. “Joe (Bravo) worked out a really good trip and hopefully he can do the same.”

Max Player, owned George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds, will make his second start for Asmussen, having finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby. Max Player was third in both the Belmont Stakes and Travers when trained by Linda Rice.

Asmussen termed the work “a little leg-stretch,” adding, “I like his energy.”

Max Player drew Post No. 8 for his Preakness start.

“I think that's an excellent draw. I think he'll be able to stay a little closer from there,” Asmussen said. “Very anxious to see how he runs.”

Calumet Farms Excession will be making his first start since he was a fast-closing second at 82-1 odds behind the well-regarded Nadal in Oaklawn Park's Grade 2 Rebel Stakes on March 14. Excession will break on the rail, which Asmussen called “perfect.”

“He can follow the fence and make his late run,” he said.

Asmussen is shooting for his third victory in the Preakness, following Horses of the Year Curlin in 2007 and the filly Rachel Alexandra in 2009.

The post Asmussen’s Preakness Trio: Pneumatic ‘Doing Extremely Well,’ Max Player Showing Good ‘Energy’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pneumatic continued his preparation for the 145th Preakness Stakes (G1) on Oct. 3 with a five-furlong bullet work Monday morning in company in 1:00.85 over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga.

“On this track that's about as good as horses work,” said Scott Blasi, trainer Steve Asmussen's top assistant.

The homebred son of Uncle Mo returned to trainer Asmussen's barn at Saratoga Race Course following his 2¼-length victory in the Pegasus on Aug. 15 at Monmouth Park. He has worked four times over the training track and Blasi said the colt will breeze again before shipping to Pimlico Race Course on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Under exercise rider Angel Garcia, Pneumatic worked in tandem with his Winchell Thoroughbreds stablemate Callibrate, a 2-year-old maiden winner. They turned in fractional times of :12, :23.80, :36 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.

“It was a solid five-eighths. They were out well,” Blasi said. “He's trained really good since the Pegasus at Monmouth. Off that work we expect a big effort in the Preakness.”

Pneumatic did not start as a 2-year-old. He won his debut at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 15 and followed with an allowance victory at Oaklawn on April 11. Asmussen moved him into stakes company and he finished third in the Matt Winn (G3) on May 23 at Churchill Downs and fourth in the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 20.

“He's just been a late-maturing horse,” Blasi said. “This race being later in the year has allowed him to come along and come around at his own rate. It just seemed like a good spot after the race at Monmouth.”

Pneumatic is out of Teardrop by Tapit, a stakes-placed half-sister to Pyro, the G1 winning Winchell homebred trained by Asmussen.

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