Large Contingency Of SoCal Sophomores Tightening The Screws
By Jill Byrne

With many Kentucky Derby (GI) preps coming up in the next few weeks, and some key allowance races taking place this weekend around the country, the national workout tab was chock-full of sophomore talent.

Fonz's Drills 1:13 4/5 In Preparation for San Rafael

On Feb. 16 at Hollywood Park, Fonz's, a gelding by Out of Place went six furlongs in 1:13 4/5 in preparation for the Mar. 2 San Rafael Stakes (GII). The David LaCroix-trained gelding has not started since a strong second to Siphonic in the Hollywood Futurity (GI) on December 15th. Speaking of Siphonic, after canceling a work scheduled on Feb. 9 due to a slight temperature, David Hofmans was planning to work his colt either Feb. 23 or Feb. 24 to stay on course for the March 17 San Felipe Stakes (GII).

Raven Power, second to Pelirrojo in a key Jan. 30 allowance race, worked a strong seven furlongs in 1:27 1/5 at Santa Anita readying for an crackerjack, entry-level mile and a sixteenth allowance race on the Feb. 22 card in Arcadia. Trainer Bruce Headley was pleased with the son of Known Fact and anticipates he could take the allowance field, which includes, from the rail out, Sunday Break (Jpn), Hot Contest, Gold Dollar and Azillion (Ire), wire-to-wire with the improvement he has shown in only 2 starts.

Feb. 18 was a busy day at Santa Anita with several horses pointing for the San Rafael Stakes out on the gallops working. Pelirrojo, the aforementioned winner of an allowance race went five furlongs in 1:00 4/5. Trainer John Sadler is pleased with the way the son of Flying Continental relaxed early, as he did in his previous start, and finished well. Holdthehelm, a son of Helmsman, went the same distance in 1:00 3/5.

Popular, a high-profile Saint Ballado colt from Bob Baffert's shedrow went seven-eighths in 1:27 4/5. Baffert's camp seems to be trying to get this colt to relax early in his morning work activity, as he has been demonstrating natural speed in his races, but he failed to carry that speed on to the wire in the Feb. 2 San Vicente where he checked in a tiring fourth behind Came Home.

Baffert's best Kentucky Derby hope, Danthebluegrassman, put in a strong five furlongs move at Santa Anita in :58 4/5 on Feb. 20. A winner of his last two starts around two turns at Golden Gate Fields in northern California, including the Golden Gate Derby (GIII), the son of Pioneering has been flattered by the winning performances of USS Tinosa in the restricted Sham Stakes, and Cappuchino in the Golden State Mile. He may now start in the San Felipe Stakes (GII) to see where he stacks up against better southern California horses.

Came Home looks no worse for wear following his excellent win in the San Vicente Stakes (GII), as the son of Gone West posted a strong six furlong work in 1:12 4/5 on Feb. 20 at Santa Anita. When asked how far he thought Came Home would go, the colt's co-owner, John Toffan, told Daily Racing Form "a mile and a quarter".

Clergy Fires Bullet For Southwest

At the Fair Grounds on Feb. 16, Clergy, the undefeated Claiborne Farm gelding by Pulpit, worked a very solid seven furlongs in a bullet 1:25 4/5. Trainer Frank Brothers is pleased with the way Clergy is coming up to his first try at two-turns which will be at Oaklawn on Mar. 2nd in the Southwest Stakes.

Saarland (2), Nokoma Target Weekend Allowance Races

On Feb. 17 at Gulfstream Park, Saarland (2) worked a typical Shug McGaughey half-mile in :48 4/5, doing it easily and finishing up well. Cynthia Phipps' Unbridled colt will make his three-year-old debut in an allowance race on Feb. 23 at Gulfstream Park. The race is scheduled for seven furlongs and is to be a prep for the Mar. 17 Gotham Stakes (GII), run at a mile at Aqueduct, a venue where Saarland (2) was the winner of last year's Remsen Stakes (GIII).

The colt that he defeated that day, Nokoma, is also scheduled to run Feb. 23 in a mile and 70 yard entry- level allowance race at Gulfstream. The Todd Pletcher-conditioned son of Pulpit has been training brilliantly since his disappointing effort in the Jan. 19 Holy Bull Stakes (GIII).

Nokoma drilled five furlongs in a bullet :59 4/5 the week of Feb. 11 and followed that up with another bullet five furlong work in 1:00.2/5. Nokoma was visually impressive in the move, starting out well behind a workmate, easily catching him at the top of the stretch and drawing off by five lengths in the lane with exercise rider Cindy Hutter sitting motionless in the irons. The track was not exceptionally quick on Feb. 18, but the way this horse looked traveling over the surface, I would be surprised to see him lose on Feb. 23.

Ethan Man an impressive allowance winner at Gulfstream Park also worked on Feb. 18 going an easy five furlongs in 1:02 1/5. Patrick Byrne, the trainer of the Glitterman colt, was not looking for any speed, as he plans on stretching the colt out around two turns for his next start, which will probably come in the mile and a sixteenth Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) on March 17 at Tampa Bay Downs.

Jill Byrne serves as an analyst for TVG's award-winning "The Works" program, which focuses on the morning workout activity of horses preparing for the Kentucky Derby (GI) and Breeders' Cup. Additionally, she is a handicapper for the Churchill Downs Simulcast Network (CDSN) and is a knowledgeable, hands-on horsewoman who assisted her husband, trainer Patrick Byrne, in the development of Eclipse champions Favorite Trick and Countess Diana. She is the daughter of noted show horse rider and Thoroughbred trainer Peter Howe and first started riding show horses in her native Virginia at age three; she got on her first Thoroughbred when she was 11. She went to the University of Virginia where she studied political science and has worked directly with dosgae guru Steven Roman identifying top quality horses through a race analysis system he developed. Jill and Patrick have a daughter, Devon, and reside in Louisville.

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