2-17-2018 Bravazo, with Miguel Mena aboard, pushes to the lead to beat Snapper Sinclair in a close finish in the Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir

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. Madison’s Luna, a 3YO son of Tapit who rolled to an impressive start this spring for trainer Phillip A. Bauer, worked at Churchill Downs this morning. The roan colt breezed an easy 3 furlongs in an impressive :36 flat, which was the bullet move of the day at the distance. It was his second published work in September, after a brief break from action. After breaking his maiden at Tampa Bay in February, the colt immediately came back to win the G3 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park. But he has fallen on some hard times of late. He ran 10th in the muddy G3 Pat Day Mile and then another 10th in the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes. After a second in allowance company on the turf, he was switched back to the dirt where he ran 5th in the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga. He may be headed to a career on the weeds soon.
  2. Most Amusing, a 3YO Malibu Moon colt trained by Brad Cox, may be one to watch on the horizon. As in right now. This one broke his maiden at Santa Anita in April and after running a 6th in allowance company in May, he was switched to the Midwest and to the barn of Cox. In his first start for the new barn, this colt ran a nice second in allowance company at Ellis Park on Aug. 3. That was his first start in three months, too. This one is owned by Juddmonte Farms, the breeders, and worked this morning at Churchill Downs. He went a nice half mile in :48.20, which was the bullet move of 56 to go to the distance. Worth watching here.
  3. Snapper Sinclair, a 3YO son of City Zip and trained by Steve Asmussen, looked like he was headed for a glorious 2018 earlier this year. He ran third in the G3 Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds and then returned to finish second in the G2 Risen Star. But after running fifth in the G2 Louisiana Derby, we have not seen hide nor hair of him in the afternoons. This morning, the colt got his second published work in September, and he went an easy half mile in :51.20. That was 46th best of 56 to go, but it was great to see this guy back on the racetrack. Good luck in your return.
  4. Tobacco Road, a 2YO Quality Road colt trained by Asmussen, was on the track at Churchill Downs, as well. This one, coming off an impressive win in the Ellis Park Juvenile last time out, has now won two in a row and looks to be getting better with the stretch out in distance. He went an easy half mile in :50 flat, which was 24th out of the 56. Look for him to return to Stakes action at Churchill Downs.
  5. Bravazo, maybe the most durable of all the runners to tackle the 2018 racing season, was back on the track this morning at Churchill Downs. This Awesome Again colt, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, has raced 8 times this year with a 2-2-1 record and has earned nearly $1 million for Calumet Farm this year alone. Of the 8 races this year, 7 of them have been in Graded Stakes events and the last five have all been Grade 1s. In those five, he has hit the board three times. Today, the colt went 5 furlongs in an impressive 1:00.20. That was the bullet move out of 30 to make the distance. Looks good. Again.