(Trainer Tom Proctor conditions both Deer Valley and Big Bend / Photo Courtesy of Keeneland)

Every day, we scour the work tabs at racetracks and training facilities all over North America in search of those Thoroughbreds that are prepping for their next race and appear to be ready for a prime performance. Some of the horses that we track, you will recognize immediately and know their names. Others, though, you may not know — yet. Here is a closer look at some of today’s morning glories:

  1. Therapist, a 3YO son of Freud and a NY-bred trained by Christophe Clement, worked at Belmont Park this morning. He went 5 furlongs on the dirt track in 1:02.17, which was the bullet move of the day. This one was purchased for just $8,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York Sale in 2016, but has rolled off 4 wins in his first 5 career starts — including a third in the G3 Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 3 and a win in the Cutter Bay Stakes at GP on March 31. Looks to be a monster against NY breds this summer.
  2. Deer Valley, a 4YO filly by Speightstown, has not run since last July when she was third in the Stormy Blues Stakes at Laurel Park for trainer Tom Proctor. Before that one, she capture the Crank It Up Stakes at Monmouth Park and was 7th in the muddy Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in May. She got her third published work since April 28 today when she breezed a half mile today over the all-weather track at Fair Hill. She went in :49.20, which was the second best of 3.
  3. Big Bend, a 4YO son of Union Rags, looked like he could be any kind when he won his third in a row and capture the G3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland last October. But he hasn’t been the same since. He has an 8th, a 10th, an 11th, and, most recently, a 7th in the G2 Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland in April. Proctor will try to get him back on track soon, and worked him this morning at Fair Hill. He went 5 furlongs on the all-weather track there in 1:00.40, which was the best of two so far.
  4. More Updates to come…