Breeze

White Abarrio (Race Day), the winner of the 2023 GI Breeders Cup Classic, is close to his first workout after being given a freshener by his connections. However, co-owner Mark Cornett reports that the now 5-year-old horse will not be ready in time to defend his title in this year's Breeders' Cup. "The Breeders' Cup Classic is not in our plans," Cornett said. "We're not going in that direction. There's no way he can be ready for that and we want to get a good race in him off this...

The brilliant and unbeaten MGISW Flightline (Tapit), who figures to be the prohibitive favorite for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 5, worked six furlongs in 1:11.80 Saturday morning at Santa Anita prior to a scheduled Sunday flight to Lexington. The work was his fifth consecutive on a Saturday morning dating back to Sept. 24. As per usual, Flightline was accompanied by a pony and ridden by his regular work partner, trainer John Sadler's assistant Juan Leyva, before sunrise. Leyva wears a light on his helmet to...

Unbeaten sensation Flightline (Tapit) set fractions of :12.80, :24.60, :36.40, and stopped the clock at :59.60 for the five furlongs in his final work at Del Mar Saturday ahead of next week's GI TVG Pacific Classic. "Last work today, it was very nice," trainer John Sadler said afterward. "The idea today was not go very hard a week out. So what we try to do is just maintain his rhythm, keep him in the same place he's been in. We were thrilled. He did a minute effortlessly and he's essentially...

A filly from the first crop of Irish War Cry (Hip 795) put in the fastest work of the day Friday during the fifth session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale under-tack show. Consigned by Thorostock LLC, she completed the breeze in :9 4/5, making her just the second juvenile so far to clock a furlong in under :10 flat. A trio of juveniles worked a quarter in a bullet :20 4/5. Hip 783, a Bee Jersey filly consigned by Top Line Sales (video) Hip...

GII Wood Memorial S. runner-up Early Voting (Gun Runner) put in his final breeze ahead of the upcoming GI Preakness S. Friday morning at Belmont Park, going five panels in 1:00.63 in company with SW Miles D (Curlin). Under jockey Jose Ortiz, The Chad Brown pupil went three-eighths in :36.40 before completing the five furlong move in 1:00.63 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:13 flat over the fast main track. "He hit the times just as I wanted and he galloped out super," Brown said of Early Voting. "If...

Undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) had his final work ahead of the May 7 GI Kentucky Derby Thursday at Santa Anita, going six furlongs in 1:12.80 in company with Drayden Van Dyke aboard. "It was very straight forward," trainer Tim Yakteen said. "He worked three-quarters from the five-eighth pole. It was a typical Taiba work and we accomplished what we wanted. I got him in 1:12.60 and out in 1:26. We're good." An ultra-impressive debut winner at Santa Anita Mar. 5, the $1.7-million FTFMAR buy followed suit with...

The continuously improving Greatest Honour (Tapit) continued his preparations for the Mar. 27 GI Curlin Florida Derby at Payson Park Saturday, covering a half-mile in :50.20 (3/21). "He worked nice--his typical work," trainerr Shug McGaughey said. "I think he bounced out of the [GII Fasig-Tipton] Fountain of Youth good." Greatest Honour broke his maiden at fourth asking at Gulfstream Dec. 26 and has swept the first two of three GI Kentucky Derby preps held at Gulfstream: the Jan. 30 GIII Holy Bull and the Feb. 27 Fountain of Youth.

MGISW Tiz the Law (Constitution) breezed six furlongs in 1:12.26 (1/1) over the Belmont main track Friday morning in preparation for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 7. The Empire-bred will be vanned to Kentucky Sunday to continue his preparations for the World Championships. Under exercise rider Heather Smullen, Tiz the Law went in company with stablemate Niko's Dream (Central Banker) (five furlongs in 1:01.05) before drawing away at the top of the lane. He recorded splits of :13.07, :24.84, :36.43, and :47.63 before galloping out seven furlongs...

Likely GI Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law (Constitution) topped a list of sophomores putting in their final breezes ahead of the Run for the Roses/Lilies Saturday, covering five panels in :59.21 (1/3) on the Saratoga main track. The native New Yorker was one of the first on the track at 5:45 a.m. in an attempt to beat the incoming rainstorm. With regular breeze rider Heather Smullen in the irons, the flashy bay covered his first three furlongs in :36.01 and galloped out in 1:12.01. "Everything went fine. He came...

Like many issues in racing, the inaccuracy of published workout times is something we who are firmly planted in the industry have all just accepted as the way it is. Quote a breeze time to any trainer, owner or serious horseplayer and they'll tell you why it's pointless. "Official" times of works, and rankings, bullets, etc. are almost never correct, and somehow we've all just gone along with it. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has analyzed workout video of a horse like it was the Zapruder film...