2-9-2019 – Winter Sunset, with Channing Hill aboard, wins the Shantel Lanerie Memorial Overnight Stakes at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, LA. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr

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. Pure Speculation, a 3YO Morning Line colt trained by W. Bret Calhoun, may be one to put in your “Stable Mail.” He bears serious watching. To date, he has run only once — and that was last May at Churchill Downs, when he finished 5th in a MSW event. Since February, he has gotten back on the work tab. This morning, he went a half mile in :47.20 — which was the 2nd fastest time out of 16 to go the distance under the Twin Spires. Wow time. And, it looks like he is capable of more. He was purchased for $150,000 by owner Tom Durant at the 2017 Keeneland September Sale. Take note.
  2. Manny Wah, a 3YO Will Take Charge colt trained by Wayne Catalano, is coming off a 6th place finish in the G2 Risen Star Stakes in his last race. Before that, though, he was 3rd in the G3 LeComte Stakes and 2nd in the Sugar Bowl. Has gotten a little break from racing, but got his 4th published work since the Risen Star today at Churchill Downs. Went a really nice 5 furlongs in :59.80 — which was the bullet move out of 5 to go the distance. This one may shorten up a tad and be tough to handle next out.
  3. Winter Sunset, a 3YO daughter of Tapit and out of the wonderful female family of Winter Memories, is one of the best highlight stories of the Winer/Spring meet at the Fair Grounds. She has burst on the scene. In 3 starts, she has 2 impressive wins and a third. The third came in the last start — when she was jumped into the G3 Florida Oaks. Lost that one to the highly-touted Concrete Rose by only a length. Impressive. Winter Sunset made a serious impression at Churchill Downs this morning, too, going 5 furlongs over the dirt track in :59.80. That was the same time as Manny Wah.
  4. Gotta Go, a 4YO son of Shanghai Bobby and trained by Ian Wilkes, went winless in 2018 after posting a pretty impressive resume as a 2YO in 2017. Won the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs and looked to be the barn’s newest and latest rising star. But after running second in the Swale Stakes last Spring, he never got close the rest of the year. Started 2019 with a 4th in an allowance at Gulfstream Park. Hopefully, he can improve off that and get back to his Stakes ability soon. Worked this morning at Keeneland. Went an easy half mile in :51.80. that was 17th of 22.
  5. Tapit Wise, who was purchased by Mandy Pope for $700,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Sale, worked this morning at Keeneland, as well. The son of Tapit went a half mile in :48.40, which was the 4th best time out of 22. In his 6th career start, he broke his maiden last time out at the Fair Grounds for trainer Tom Amoss. Came late in that one with Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the saddle to pull away late by 11/2 lengths — despite being steadied at bit coming out of the turn and sweeping 6-wide into the stretch. Impressive run. Got the blinkers in that one, too. Look for more out of this one. In great hands.