Belmont Park Notes 9.30.17

by NYRA Press Office

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent both Keen Ice and Destin to the training track Saturday morning in preparation for the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 7. The pair worked in tandem, covering four furlongs in 48.60 seconds at Belmont Park.

Jose Ortiz was aboard Keen Ice and exercise rider Hector Ramos piloted Destin. Both remain on target for the 1 ¼-mile race that is a qualifier for the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 4 at Del Mar.

Donegal Racing's Keen Ice, the winner of the Grade 2 Suburban, and runner-up behind Gun Runner in the Grade 1 Whitney, is a son of Curlin, who once again followed through on his customary strong morning work habit.

"It's kind of what we've been accustomed to seeing from him", Pletcher said. "Good, solid work and a very strong gallop out. It seemed like he was into it from the beginning to the end.

"I had 12 flat, 23 3/5, 48 1/5, 1:01 2/5, 1:14 4/5, and 1:28 4/5," he added. "Like a lot of horses, I think that second eighth on the training track is always a little bit fast, and I think the second eighth on the gallop-out is always a little faster, I'm not sure, but I think it's a little bit downhill from the three eighths pole to the quarter pole. It seems a lot of horses go eleven and change around that turn."

Twin Creek Racing Stable's Destin has only two starts since last summer's Grade 1 Travers, where he finished ninth. The son of Giant's Causeway returned in May and finished third against open allowance company at Belmont, then returned to win by a nose at that level at Saratoga. The victory was his first since he won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby en route to his sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.

"He's not an over-zealous workhorse, kind of does what he has to do," said Pletcher. "He isn't as powerful of a gallop out horse as Keen Ice is, but he's trained well enough, and hopefully we'll put a few races under his belt, and he'll rally back into top form."

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Visiting the main track this morning, Ralph & Lauren Evans' multiple stakes winner Diversify breezed five furlongs in 59.78 seconds for his final workout in preparation for a start in next Saturday's Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. A 4-year-old New York-bred son of Bellamy Road, he has collected three wins from six starts this year. Last out, he bested state-breds on August 21 in the Evan Shipman by an impressive 11 ½ lengths giving trainer Rick Violette, Jr. the confidence to enter him against Grade 1 competition.

"He went terrific this morning," Violette said. "He was so impressive in his last start and he seems to be gaining confidence as his career has progressed so we feel he's deserved an opportunity to see what he can do against open company."

With three wins and two second-place finishes from five career starts at Big Sandy, Violette is encouraged with Diversify's affinity for his home track and believes his front-running style is not a hinderance for the 1 ¼-mile distance.

"Coming off his last race, I'm not concerned about the distance at all," added Violette. "He's been near or on the lead in many of his races, but it all depends on the pace scenario of the race. If they run the first quarter in 45 [seconds] then I'll be worried, but if we're able to get a tactical trip it shouldn't be an issue."

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Aveenu Malcainu put in his final breeze Saturdaybefore the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagneon October 8, going four furlongs in 46.78 seconds on Belmont Park's main track under regular jockey Luis Saez.

Reached by phone, trainer Jeremiah Englehart said he was impressed with the effort.

"It seemed like came back good and Luis said he was very happy with him," Englehart said. "He's pretty strong. Hopefully he has a good week going into this race."

The 2-year-old Into Mischief colt is 2-for-2 in his career, winning his debut on July 28 at Saratoga before capturing the Funny Cide on August 25, which followed an eventful morning in which he hit his head and scratched his nose in his stall.

"I'll be watching my phone that morning making sure everything is OK," Englehart said with a laugh. "When you get into races like this, you know anything can happen. You look at Todd [Pletcher] and Chad [Brown] and the best trainers in the country, they all roll with the punches."

After winning at 6 ½ furlongs last out at the Spa, Aveenu Malcainu will be stretched out to a mile in the Champagne, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Grade 1, $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 4 at Del Mar.

"I thought all along that he could do it, so we'll see if it makes that step up in this next start," Englehart said.

Small Bear will return to graded stakes company for the first time since February and put in his final work before the Grade 3, $500,000 Hill Prince on October 7. The 3-year-old gelding breezed four furlongs in 46.78 seconds on Belmont's main track.

Owned by August Dawn Farm, Small Bear is coming off back-to-back runner-up efforts in Saratoga stakes, running second in the Curlin on July 28 and following that up with a good effort in the Better Talk Now August 28, finishing a neck behind Hieroglyphics.

"I was very happy with him. He's not that always a [great] workhorse in the mornings but ever since his last race, he's shown me the necessary steps to challenge graded stakes company," he said. "I was impressed with his last race. He's a horse where the extra eighth of a mile will be very beneficial to him. I think he'll be an outsider in the Hill Prince but it wouldn't surprise me if he made a big wave in that race."

The Hill Prince, for 3-year-olds, is contested at 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf.

Purrfect Miss will make her stakes debut in the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette on October 8. The 2-year-old filly broke her maiden last out on August 20 at Saratoga, posting a 3 ¼-length score in a six-furlong sprint on the main track.

The Discreet Cat filly will now be stretched out to a mile in a race that is a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Grade 1, $2 million 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on November 4.

"I just want to see her keeping consistent," Englehart said. "She's coming off a tough maiden 2-year-old race. From her first start, she's improved and she's shown signs that she can handle the competition. I'm not sure if she's bred to go a mile, but I'm hoping she's up to the challenge and can do it well."