LNJ Foxwoods' Scotland (Good Magic), last-out winner of the July 21 Curlin S., tuned up for Saturday's GI Travers S. with a four-furlong move in :47.60 (1/68) over the Oklahoma training track Sunday in Saratoga.
“It was a good, useful work,” said trainer Bill Mott. “He galloped out well and seemed to have good energy and to be moving well. It was fast enough. I think we're fit enough.”
A debut winner at Gulfstream in March, Scotland was nosed out of an allowance victory at Keeneland in April before taking a one-mile optional claimer at Churchill June 3. He was making his two-turn debut when scoring a 3 1/4-length victory in the nine-furlong Curlin last time out.
Also working for Mott Sunday, champions Elite Power (Curlin) and Channel Maker (English Channel) worked four furlongs in company over the Oklahoma training track. Elite Power, targeting next week's GI Forego S., covered the distance in :49.55 (28/68), while Channel Maker, aiming for the GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S., went in :49.75 (31/68).
“They both looked good and it was normal for them,” Mott said of the works.
On Saturday, Mott saddled firster Hunt Ball (Into Mischief), a half-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Cody's Wish (Curlin), to a solid runner-up debut effort behind Risk It (Gun Runner).
Mott said the effort was educational for the juvenile, who split rivals from off the pace at the top of the lane and ran on well to be defeated 4 1/2 lengths in the six-furlong maiden race.
“We'll probably stretch him out a little bit and we found out he's pretty game,” Mott said of the Godolphin homebred. “He was willing to run through horses and he didn't seem intimidated by it.”
Meanwhile, with his debut victory, Risk It punched his ticket to the Sept. 16 one-mile GIII Iroquois S. at Churchill Downs, according to trainer Steve Asmussen.
“That's what we were hoping for and we were thinking about it,” Asmussen said. “He's trained like he'll get a mile. Obviously with his pedigree and what he's shown to this point, we're going to continue to dream.”
Trainer John Ortiz sent GIII Adirondack S. winner Brightwork (Outwork) out to work four furlongs in :52.11 (137/139) over the main track at Saratoga Sunday morning in preparation for the Sept. 3 GI Spinaway S.
“We gave her an interval workout in preparation to stretch her out. She worked a half-mile, but she galloped out another half mile,” Ortiz explained. “From the pole to the wire, they got her in about :52, but if you clocked from the quarter-pole and just follow her gallop out, she galloped out in :49 flat. So, she basically did two workouts.
“I told Irad [Ortiz] I wanted her to go nice and easy, and get her to relax and let her listen to you,” added Ortiz. “When she got to the top of the stretch, I wanted her to stride out. I wanted him to let her gallop out as far as she wants and she took him all the way back to the half-mile pole. We basically went about seven furlongs and she stayed consistent on it.”
Unbeaten in three starts, Brightwork graduated first time out going 4 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland Apr. 26. She won the six-furlong Debutante S. at Ellis Park July 2 before her five-length victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Adirondack Aug. 6.
Brightwork will be stretching out to seven furlongs for the Spinaway, but Ortiz is confident she will handle the extra distance.
“We use Equimetre to monitor her heart rate and stride length and I'm very, very in love with the data shown to me this morning. It looks like the further we go, the better with her,” Ortiz said.
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