Dual-surface MGISW Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) returned to the worktab Sunday morning at Belmont, breezing five furlongs in company in 1:01.26 beneath Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano. Catholic Boy missed three days under tack last week due to a minor fever, which forced him to miss a scheduled work last weekend, according to trainer Jonathan Thomas. Sunday's move–his first since Sept. 30–put him back on track towards a potential bid at the Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup Classic, Thomas said.
“I thought the work was executed perfectly,” said Thomas, who trains Catholic Boy for Robert LaPenta, Madaket Stables, Siena Farm, and Twin Creeks Racing Stables. “We wanted a nice, long, rhythmic breeze, and I thought Javier did a great job getting him to relax early.”
Catholic Boy worked in company with stablemate and GSW/GISP March (Blame) and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 3/5, according to NYRA clockers.
Catholic Boy captured the GI Belmont Derby on turf prior to winning the GI Travers S. on dirt Aug. 25 at Saratoga. He has won a total of five graded stakes and would potentially enter the Classic as a well-rested horse.
“He had a small temp, what basically turned out to be a two-day virus that he got over, but it cost us a breeze last weekend,” Thomas said. “When you prep for the Breeders' Cup, you really don't want any hiccups, but in the grand scheme of things, he recovered very quickly. He's such a fit horse and I find it hard to believe that one [missed] breeze would dismantle what we're trying to do here. And the fact that he breezed as well as he did this morning lets me know that maybe missing the work last week was a blessing, I don't know. He did everything the right way.”
Catholic Boy is slated to van to Churchill Tuesday and have two works over the local surface before the Breeders' Cup.
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