(Copper Bullet winning at Churchill Downs last year. He is entered to run for the first time in 2018 this Friday. Yeah. Photo Courtesy of Churchill Downs)

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. Beautiful Tale, a 2YO Tale of the Cat filly trained by Dallas Stewart for owner Charles Fipke, broke her maiden in the second career start last time out at Churchill Downs on Oct. 28. She was back in training on Monday morning under the Twin Spires, working an easy half-mile in :50 flat. That was the 33rd best time out of 66 to go that distance. This one is a home bred for the Fipke  stables, and out of the Street Cry mare Street Beauty. The dam won 2 times in 7 starts. Worth watching this one develop.
  2. Copper Bullet, who still hasn’t made his 2018 debut for the Winchell Thoroughbreds and the Willis Horton Racing LLC, was back in training this morning for trainer Steve Asmussen. The More Than Ready colt — who has 2 wins and 2 seconds in just 4 starts, and a victory in the G2 Saratoga Special — went an easy half-mile in :50 flat, as well. This one is entered in an allowance race for this coming Friday at Churchill Downs. Can’t wait. Love this horse. Talented beyond belief, and could be a real factor when he returns to the races.
  3. Limonite, a talented 2YO son of Lemon Drop Kid and owned by the same connections as Copper Bullet, worked this morning at Churchill Downs, as well. He went a half-mile in :49.60, which was the 24th best time of the day. This one has raced three times to date, with a win, a second and a third. Look for more, though. Super talented.
  4. Roiland, a 2YO son of Successful Appeal and trained by Tom Amoss, worked this morning under the Twin Spires. He went an easy half-mile in :50.20. That was the 39th best time of the day. This one has raced three times to date, with two wins and a second. Look for his return. Talent.
  5. Vertical Oak, a 4YO Giant Oak filly who won the Dream Supreme Stakes here on Nov. 4 in her last out and has now hit the board in 7 straight Stakes events in a row for trainer Steve Asmussen, worked this morning at Churchill Downs. The filly went 5 furlongs in 1:02.80, in a pure maintenance move. That time ranked 11th of the 12 horses to go the distance. Watch for her next time out. Good right now. Very good.
  6. Dunph, a 2YO gelding by Temple City, is a perfect 2-for-2 for trainer Mike Maker and is now being pointed to a major Stakes event here at the end of the event. He worked in preparation for that event at the Churchill Downs Training Center this morning, going a half-mile in :48.80. That was the 2nd best time out of 5 to go that far. This one only cost $27,500 at the OBS March Sale this Spring. Bargain of the Year? We shall see, but he has already earned over $105,000 in purses.
  7. Solomini, working his way back to the races since his third place finish in the G3 Affirmed Stakes on June 10, went this morning at Santa Anita for trainer Bob Baffert. He got his fourth published work since Oct. 24 this morning, going 5 furlongs in a nice :59.80. That was the second fastest time out of 36 to go that far this a.m. It will be great to have this 3YO son of Curlin back in completion soon.