Sophomores Are Out For Works En Masse In Preparation For Weekend Stakes
By, Jill Byrne

With the most important Derby prep races to date taking place this weekend, major contenders were out en masse for morning workout activity on racetracks coast-to-coast.

Johannesburg Smokes Five Furlongs In Ireland

Though he is not scheduled to compete this weekend, Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) winner and Eclipse champion Johannesburg put in a strong workout across the Atlantic at Ballydoyle training center in Ireland. Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier's undefeated colt by Hennessy blazed 5 furlongs on the turf course in :56 flat on Mar. 12. With the Kentucky Derby (GI) still considered a definite possibility, trainer Aidan O'Brien told Daily Racing Form, "We plan on giving him a run in early April. There are plenty of trials, we'll consider them all."

Bevy Of Top Three-Year-Olds On Gulfstream's Work Tab

Back in the states, the Florida Derby (GI) is the headliner at Gulfstream Park on March 16, with the Swale Stakes (GIII), also for three-year-olds, on the undercard.

Booklet and Harlan's Holiday, the first two finishers in both local preps at Gulfstream Park for the Florida Derby - the Holy Bull Stakes (GIII) and the Fountain of Youth (GI) - again head a field of 11 in Saturday's grade one event at nine furlongs.

Booklet worked Five furlongs on Mar. 9 in 1:00 1/5 with trainer John Ward and jockey Jorge Chavez watching from the stands. Though he only galloped out the final furlong in :14, trainer Ward was pleased with the son of Notebook and deemed him ready to attempt the Gulfstream Park three-year-old stakes hat trick. Harlan's Holiday with new rider Edgar Prado on board, breezed 5 furlongs on Mar. 12 in 1:00 3/5. Both colts seem to be holding their weight well and have not shown any digression in training up to the Florida Derby.

Buckram Oak Farm's High Star has done very well since his nose defeat in an allowance race on Feb. 16, evidenced by a strong five furlong move on Mar. 11, as the son of Private Terms drilled the distance in 1:01 flat. " I was very pleased with the way he worked this morning," trainer Nick Zito said after the move.

Zito will also send out Governor Hickel, an impressive allowance winner at Gulfstream, in the seven-furlong Swale Stakes, which will also be contested on Mar. 16. Governor Hickel went out for an easy five-furlong work on Mar. 9th in 1:02. Jockey Gary Stevens will ride both High Star and Governor Hickel on Florida Derby day. Ethan Man, also pointing for the Swale, blazed a half mile Mar. 11 in a bullet :46 4/5 for trainer Patrick Byrne. The Glitterman colt, who is owned by West Point Stables, was never asked to run by exercise rider Kevin Willey in an impressive drill.

Mark Hennig's two Florida Derby runners, Personal Reward and Monthir , worked on Mar. 10, the former going five furlongs in 1:02 1/5, the latter drilling a quick half-mile in :47 1/5. Personal Reward was visually impressive getting the final three furlongs in a sparkling :35 3/5, and galloping out in 1:14 and a couple of ticks for six furlongs. The attractive colt by Personal Hope is moving forward nicely for his first stakes start.

Yet again, the star of the South Florida morning works the week was Nokoma, who went a bullet five furlongs in :58 1/5 galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 flat effortlessly on Mar. 11. "He went a little faster then I intended," trainer Todd Pletcher told the Thoroughbred Times after the move. "I know the track is a little on the quick side, but it was a fast workout."

Possibly to ensure an honest pace, Pletcher put Michael Tabor's recent purchase Smooth Jazz in the Florida Derby as an entrymate with Nokoma. The son of Storm Boot, who was purchased privately from owner/trainer Tony Dutrow, won the six furlong Best Turn stakes at Aqueduct and worked a half mile in :49 3/5 on Mar. 13 at Gulfstream.

Shug McGaughey put blinkers on D'coach for the first time following his erratic stretch run in the Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct where the colt was subsequently disqualified from second to third. The son of Dehere responded nicely to the hood with a half mile move in :47 4/5.

McGaughey's other three-year-old, Remsen Stakes (GIII) winner Saarland, drilled five-furlongs on Mar. 10th at Gulfstream in 1:00 flat, the second fastest move of the day at that distance.

The Unbridled colt has matured well over the winter, putting on muscle and filling out well. Cynthia Phipps' Kentucky Derby hopeful makes his much anticipated return in the Gotham Stakes (GIII), which will be run at Aqueduct on Mar. 17 over the distance of a one turn mile.

Saarland's main threat in the Gotham will be Michael Tabor's Mayakovsky. Patrick Biancone has trained the son of Matty G. very aggressively for his first start since running second to Came Home in the Hopeful Stakes (GI) at Saratoga. He seems to be showing no signs of ill effects from post-Hopeful ankle surgery, with strong workouts consistently over the last two months culminating in a bullet half mile in :46 flat at Santa Anita on Mar. 11th. Mayakovsky has a long, smooth stride as well as a great attitude, which may help him get distances beyond his pedigree limitations.

Siphonic Drills A Half Mile From The Gate In :47 Flat

The San Felipe Stakes (GII) at Santa Anita on Mar. 17th marks the return of Siphonic following his second-place finish in the Santa Catalina Stakes (GII). He stumbled badly at the start of that race, prompting trainer David Hofmans to work the son of Siphon from the gate at Santa Anita on Mar. 13.

With exercise rider Michelle Jensen aboard, Siphonic broke well and went a half mile in a bullet :47 flat, galloping out five-eighths in :59 3/5. Owners John and Jerry Amerman watched the workout with David Hofmans and were pleased with the ease in which the colt accomplished his work. This work seems to be an indication that Siphonic is back to his best, dispelling earlier rumors that the colt was not training well.

Bob Baffert will send out Puerto Banus in the San Felipe for the Thoroughbred Corp. Gary Stevens will ride the half-brother to Spain (by Supremo), who worked a strong five furlongs on Mar. 12 in :59 2/5. Puerto Banus is eligible to improve off his second place finish in the restricted Sham Stakes behind USS Tinosa, who will also start in the Mar. 17 San Felipe for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Wayne Lukas will be represented by Shah Jehan, who worked a strong six furlongs in 1:13 on Mar. 9. The $4.4 million dollar colt by Mr. Prospector looks to improve off a last place finish in the Sham Stakes, his first start in North America.

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 Dosage 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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