Bob Baffert backside 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. Gleason, a 4YO Algorithms gelding trained by Todd Pletcher for Paul Pompa, Jr., looked like he was cut out to be a real good one early on in his career. In his first career start, on Jan. 20, 2017, he closed impressively and decisively to beat the talented Getyourmindright at Tampa Bay by nearly 6 lengths. And, that was after the runner-up carved out fractions of :21.91 and :44.89 to set the early going. Gleason came right back to run second two months later at Aqueduct in his first try against winners. But in April, he ran 7th at Aqueduct and has not been seen in the afternoons since. This morning, the gelding got his first published work since that race nearly 9 months ago. He went 3 furlongs at Palm Beach Downs in :36.68. That was the second best time out of the first four to go the distance. Be fun to see this one get back to where he was. Talented.
  2. Ticonderoga, who is now a 5YO horse by Tapit and trained by Chad Brown for Woodford Racing, worked on Monday at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida. This one last raced in August at Saratoga, winning an allowance event over the grass. In his career, he now has 4 wins, 3 seconds and a third in 13 starts and nearly $400,000 in career earnings. His best win came in the G3 Palm Beach Downs at Gulfstream Park in 2017. Last year, though, he made only 4 starts — with 2 wins, a second and a fourth (in the G3 Fort Marcy). Worked on Monday for the third time since Dec. 31. Went an easy half mile over the dirt track in :50 flat. That was the 10th best time out of 14 to go the distance. Working his way back to you.
  3. Improbable, the undefeated and muscle-bound 3YO colt by City Zip for trainer Bob Baffert, worked at Santa Anita on Monday. The colt — who is undoubtedly one of the early favorites for this year’s KY Derby and Triple Crown series of Stakes — a half mile in :49.20, which was 20th of 42 to go the distance. In 3 career starts, this one has already captured two Stakes — including the Street Sense at Churchill Downs and the G1 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity. This one cost $200,000 as a Keeneland September Yearling in 2017. Looking like a huge bargain now.
  4. Kingly, a 3YO son of Tapit and another talent in the barn of Team Baffert, worked on Monday at Santa Anita, as well. This one went 5 furlongs in 1:01 flat, which was the 14th best time out of 19. Kingly is a perfect 1-for-1 and now has 6 published works since his win at Del Mar on Dec. 1. Looks in idle mode for right now, but seems ready to roll again. Soon?