MyRacehorse's Seize the Grey (Arrogate) recorded his final major work Tuesday ahead of an intended date in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga this weekend. Over Oklahoma's training track rated 'wet-fast,' the grey covered a half mile in :47.99.
The GI Preakness Stakes winner shipped to Churchill Downs following a seventh-place finish in the GI Belmont Stakes June 8 before returning to the Spa earlier this month.
“He was very strong and I'm very pleased with him,” said Lukas. “I told the rider to go :47 and a fifth, and she went :47 and four. Trainers are always going to tell you, 'He did it all within himself.' But I really was pleased. It sharpened him up I think and put him on his toes.”
Exiting post 2, the colt will be reunited with Jaime Torres.
Also representing this season's sophomore class, WSS Racing's Brightwork (Outwork), who hasn't been seen since finishing sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita last fall, is likely to mark her return in next weekend's GI Test Stakes, according to her trainer John Ortiz. The filly won last summer's GIII Adirondack Stakes and GI Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga.
“That's the plan for now. So far, all systems are go,” said Ortiz. “Listen, we are in Saratoga, you go big or go home. She's proven herself before and I know I'm asking a lot of her, but at the same time there is nowhere else that we can go with her. I'm confident in her.”
Brightwork worked five-furlongs from the gate in 1:00 flat over the Saratoga main track (2/23) July 21. Hall of Famer John Velazquez was up for the solo breeze.
“She had the gate work 14 days out, just a little reminder [of the gate]. We wanted to do a little more than just a maintenance work, but at the same time, not too much,” said Ortiz. “She did that very well. I was very pleased. Johnny Velazquez was on her and he is very content with their effort.”
Ortiz added that Brightwork will have one more maintenance work and if all goes well, she will enter the Test.
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