Belmont Park Notes 9.18.16

by NYRA Press Office

• On Leave exits G2 Sands Point win in good form; Ironicus breezes half mile
• Matt King Coal eyes November return
• Chad Brown turf stars light up the worktab

Ironicus breezed a half-mile in 48.88 seconds on the Belmont Park main track Sunday morning. Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, Ironicus worked at Belmont for a second consecutive week as he prepares for a possible start in Keeneland's Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile on October 8.

Owned and bred by Stuart Janney, Ironicus, who won the Grade 3 Fort Marcy on May 7 before finishing as the runner-up in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Manhattan last out on June 11, also worked four furlongs on Belmont's Big Sandy on September 11.

"He was excellent," McGaughey said. "As of right now, he seems to be doing everything the right way."

Ironicus, who is 6-5-1 in 12 career turf starts, continued to train on the dirt despite racing exclusively on grass since his first career start in 2013.

"I never work him on the turf," McGaughey said with a laugh. "He works fine on the dirt and I'm not going to change."

Ironicus' 3-year-old half-sister On Leave came out of Saturday's victory in the Grade 2 Sands Point in good order, McGaughey said. The 3-year-old posted a career-high 94 Beyer Speed Figure in a front-running win by 2 ¾ lengths.

"She seemed to be fine this morning," McGaughey said. "She walked and grazed well. We'll know more in the next few days if she's tired, but so far, so good."

On Leave is being pointed toward the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on October 15 at Keeneland. 

"She's moving up," McGaughey said. "I just have to wait and see if it took too much out of her. She usually bounces out of her races fine."

Inspector Lynley breezed a half mile in 52.10 seconds on the inner turf on Sunday in his first work since winning the Grade 3 Saranac on September 3 at Saratoga. Following his first career graded stakes win, Inspector Lynley is targeting the Grade 3, $500,000 Hill Prince over 1 1/8 miles on the turf on "Super Saturday," October 8 at Belmont. 

"He went an easy half; I just wanted something easy since it's three weeks [until] he runs," McGaughey said. "He's the type of horse who is maturing all the time. We've been watching him and I think for a while he was immature, running-wise and body-wise. His last three races have been pretty good."

Hereditary and Coming Attraction breezed in company Sunday morning, going four furlongs in 48.48 seconds on the inner turf. Hereditary has been recovering from a foot injury after coming in fifth in an optional claimer on May 29 at Belmont and McGaughey said he is looking to run both of them soon.

"I thought they both looked fine," McGaughey said. "Hereditary is on the way back. He had a foot issue but he's had that resolved and hopefully in the new book there'll be something where I can run him on the turf at a mile-and-an-eighth or so. For Coming Attraction, I'm looking to sprint her on the turf."

*         *         *

Lady Sheila Stable's Matt King Coal has resumed training at Belmont Park and could be looking at a November return, trainer Linda Rice said on Sunday. The Lady Sheila Stable's 3-year-old has not raced since a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial on April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack and suffering a hairline fracture in his pelvis.

"He looks good; we gave him the summer off and he looks terrific," Rice said. "We're just easing him back into training now. He'll jog for a couple of weeks and then go to gallop for a couple of weeks. I want to give him a good month or so before we get up to a breeze."

Matt King Coal broke his maiden on October 29 at Belmont Park and won against allowance company on March 6 at Aqueduct before finishing just 2 ¼-lengths off of winner Outwork in his graded stakes debut in the Wood Memorial.

Rice said the 3-year-old Cool Coal Man colt is working towards a return for the Aqueduct fall meet.

"We're excited that he's coming back," Rice said.

Modest Maven, a 2-year-old filly, is being rested after last breezing on August 5 at Saratoga Race Course. Owned by Chester and Mary Broman, Modest Maven is a $1 million Fasig-Tipton 2-year-old topper who was one of three juveniles by leading sophomore sire Uncle Mo to bring seven figures at auction in 2016.

"We gave her some time off," Rice said. "We just decided she's young; she's a baby and just wanted to be cautious. We'll probably bring her back into training in a couple of months."

*         *         *

Trainer Chad Brown had a busy morning at Belmont Park, sending eight of his high-profile stars over the inner turf course for Sunday turf works.

Leading Brown's grass cavalry was Grade 1 Manhattan and Sword Dancer sensation Flintshire, breezing five furlongs in company with Sword Dancer runner-up Money Multiplier. The duo covered the distance with dogs up in 1:01.56 ahead of their upcoming joint assignment in the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on October 1.

Sheep Pond Partner's 2015 Belmont Oaks heroine Lady Eli worked five-eighths on the inner turf in 1:01.05 alongside 3-year-old colt Beach Patrol, who won the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington Park this summer. Second in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa last time out, the 4-year-old daughter of Divine Park will look to rebound from her first career loss - and first start in over 13 months - in the Grade 1, $500,000 on October 8.

Likewise, fellow Flower Bowl probable Sea Calisi posted a five-furlong turf breeze in 1:01.05 with workmate Zindaya, winner of the Intercontinental on June 9 at Belmont.

Rounding out Brown's Sunday turf workers were Create a Dream, fourth in the Group 3 Albany at Royal Ascot, breezing five furlongs in 1:01.88 with Juddmonte Farms homebred Tombelaine, a stakes winner this spring in Ireland.

Earlier in the morning, Grade 1 Champagne-bound Practical Joke recorded his first official work since his Grade 1 Hopeful victory on September 5. Breezing with maiden You're to Blame, the 2-year-old Into Mischief colt worked half-mile over the main track in 48.89 seconds. NYRA clockers caught the pair galloping out five furlongs in 1:01 2/5. Noble Beauty, who scratched from Saturday's Grade 2 Sands Point, breezed an easy half-mile in 51.11 seconds.