(Roadster winning at Del Mar last summer / Photo Courtesy of Del Mar)

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. Much Better, a 3YO ridgling key Pioneerof the Nile and trained by Bob Baffert, was left in New York following his fourth place finish in the G3 Gotham Stakes on March 9. He worked at Belmont Park this morning in preparation for his next start, which figures to be the Wood Memorial. Before the Gotham, this one won an allowance event at Santa Anita on Feb. 9. Before that, he was third in the G3 Sham Stakes and 14th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. On Sunday, he worked 6 furlongs over the dirt training track in 1:13.60 — which was the bullet move. After all, he was the only one to go that far. Has speed. Has tenacity. Does he have the ability to go long? A question, still.
  2. Monster, a 3YO son of Malibu Moon and trained by Dale Romans for Calumet Farm, is coming off a 3rd place finish in the G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks over the polytrack at Turfway Park on March 9. Before that, though, he was 8th in the G3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay. In 8 lifetime starts, he only has 1 win. It will be interesting to see where this one shows up next, but he went a nice half mile at Churchill Downs this morning in :46.80. That was the bullet move out of 15 to go the distance. Watch out for this one next time out. May be interesting.
  3. Beautiful Ballad, a 3YO Maclean’s Music filly trained by Mark Casse, worked this morning at Keeneland. The filly went a half mile in :48 flat, which was the 5th best time out of 32 to make the distance this morning. This one ran 6th in the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes at the Fair Grounds on March 9 in her last outing. Before that, though, she won 2 in a row in New Orleans. Could develop into a good one.
  4. Telekinesis, a 4YO Ghostzapper colt trained by Mark Casse, ran a tough-out second in the G3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland a year ago. He was back in action in Big Blue Country this morning, going a half mile in :51.20. That was the 31st of 32. But…He is coming off two nice seconds in a row at the Fair Grounds in his first races since running 6th in the G1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga last August. Should shine here again.
  5. Weekly Call, a potential candidate for this year’s Blue Grass Stakes, worked at Keeneland this morning, as well. The Will Take Charge colt — who ran 5th in the El Camino Real Derby in his last start and was behind Anothertwistafate in that one — breezed a half mile in :52 flat for trainer Doug O’Neill. That was 32nd of 32 to go the distance.
  6. Mother Mother, a 3YO Pioneerof the Nile filly trained by Bob Baffert, worked this morning at Santa Anita. She went 5 furlongs in 1:00.60, which was the 6th best time out of 77 to go that far. This talented filly ran 4th in the G2 Las Virgenes Stakes last time out, but that was the first time in 6 starts that she has not hit the board. Figures to be a contender for this year’s KY Oaks, depending on her last prep.
  7. More Ice, a 3YO More Than Ready colt trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, is coming off a third in both the El Camino Real Derby and the Eddie Logan Stakes in his last two outs. Trained this morning at Santa Anita, going 6 furlongs over the main dirt track. Covered the distance in 1:14.80. That was the 8th best time out of 19 to go that far.
  8. Roadster, a 3YO Quality Road colt and trained by Baffert, is #2 on “The Pressbox’s KY Derby Rankings” and he worked this morning at Santa Anita. Went 6 furlongs in 1:12.60, which was the bullet move out of 19. Seems like the throat surgery on this one just may have been the trick. Watch out. Could team up with roommate Game Winner to be an exacta on the “First Saturday in May.”