(Steve Asmussen hopes to get Copper Bullet back to racing this year / Photo Courtesy of Keeneland)

Every day, we scour the work tabs at racetracks all over the country.  We are looking for workouts that may be of interest and helpful to you — as both race fans and handicappers.  Some of the horses we will be tracking, you will know.  Some of them, you may not know — as of yet.  We will keep a keen eye and stopwatch to see who may be working well:

  1. Copper Bullet, a 3YO son of More Than Ready and one of the two off-spring of that great sire that I triggered for this year’s Kentucky Derby (the other was Catholic Boy), is back on the comeback trail. This talented son-of-a-gun has run 4 times in his career with 2 wins and 2 seconds. He was overwhelming in the Saratoga Special a year ago. But he has not been the same since, and has not made a start this year. Today, the barn of Steve Asmussen had him back on the track at Churchill Downs. He worked another easy half mile in :51.80 — the exact same time he went on Aug. 22. That was the 37th best time out of 37 to go the distance this a.m. He may be a long ways off, but he is back in training.
  2. Mr. Ankeny, who ran second to the winner of the Ellis Park Juvenile in his only previous start, was supposed to have run and won on Sunday down at the Pea Patch. But a water main break forced the track to cancel racing altogether. Instead, this son of Into Mischief worked at Churchill Downs today. He went 5 furlongs in 1:00 flat, which was the bullet move out of 40 to go the distance. Too bad the race was cancelled. Looks like he may have motored for the barn of Dale Romans. Next time?
  3. Camelot Kitten, a 5YO Kitten’s Joy horse trained by Mike Maker, is coming off a fourth place finish in the G3 Singspiel Stakes up at Woodbine back in June. He has not hit the board in three straight tries — all in Graded Stakes. But he did win the KY Cup Classic at Turfway Park back in March and has over $1 million in purse earnings to date. He worked at the Churchill Downs training center this morning, going a half mile in :48.60. That was the 4th best time out of 16 to try the distance today. Look for this one to show up soon.
  4. Oscar Nominated, a 5YO Kitten’s Joy ridgling trained by Maker, as well, worked at the training center this morning, too. This one ran second in the G2 Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland in April, but returned to finish 6th in the G1 United Nations at Monmouth Park in June. This one did win the KY Turf Cup at KY Downs last September, and may try that route again soon. Looked good this morning, going 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 — the bullet move of 13 to make the distance.
  5. Masochistic, now an 8YO gelding who has survived a tumultuous career to date, was back on the track at Del Mar this morning for trainer Bob Baffert. He has raced twice this year, both in Stakes races, but the best he has shown is a fifth back in January. This one has some great wins to his credit, though. He won the G2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar in 2016. He won the G1 Triple Bend Stakes and the G2 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita in 2015. Breezed 3 furlongs this morning in :36.80. That was the 4th best out of 13. With the Return of Battle of Midway, this would be another good feel story.
  6. Moonshine Memories, a 3YO filly by Malibu Moon and trained by Simon Callaghan, worked this morning at Del Mar, too. She went an easy half mile in :50.60, which was 13th of 13 to go that far. But not to worry. This one last ran here on July 19, and won impressively. She now has three wins over the Del Mar main track — including a victory in the G1 Del Mar Debutante a year ago. Watch for her return here soon.
  7. Mother Mother, a 2YO superstar in the making, worked for Team Baffert this morning at Del Mar. The daughter of Pioneerof the Nile went 5 furlongs in 1:00.80. that was the 2nd fastest time out of the 26 to go that distance. She is a perfect 1-for-1 in her career, but is looking to do so much more very soon.