(Trainer Bob Baffert may have Dream Tree about ready for a return to the races)

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. Mapit, a well-bred daughter of Tapit and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, has been shifted to Churchill Downs after running seventh in an allowance at Los Alamitos on June 30. The 3YO filly, who is a homebred for Don Alberto Stables, has a 1-1-0 record in 10 starts so far, winning the MSW at Santa Anita on Jan. 25. This morning, she got her second breeze over the Churchill Downs main track, going a brisk half mile in :47.60. That was the second very nice time in both breeezes, and was the 2nd of 33 this morning to go that distance. Will be interesting to see where this one shows up next.
  2. Principe Guilherme, the brilliantly fast son of Tapit who won his first two starts by many and then ran a game second in the G3 Lecomte Stakes this Winter before falling apart in the G2 Risen Star Stakes, got his second straight work this morning at Churchill for the Steve Asmussen barn. He went a half mile in :50.40, which was nearly two seconds better than his first published work back a week ago. It was the 21st best time of the 33. He is still aways away, but it is good to see him back in action.
  3. Astrollinthepark, a 4YO Divine Park filly trained by J. Larry Jones, is coming off her impressive victory in the Roxelana Stakes at Churchill Downs in her last start — which was her second win in a row. She got her first published work since that win on June 23 this morning, going 5 furlongs in 1:01.20. That was the second best time out of 17 to go that far. This one looks to be getting better these days.
  4. Baffin, a 3YO Justin Phillip colt trained by Asmussen, got his first start in nearly a year on July 14 at Ellis Park. Ran third in an allowance that day, but obviously needed that race badly. This one won on debut at Churchill Downs on June 22, 2017 and then immediately was plopped into the G3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga. Ran fourth in that event to Firenze Fire and Free Drop Billy. But he was on the shelf after that until the race at Ellis Park just a couple of weeks ago. Look for this one to run better next out. He worked this a.m. at Churchill Downs, going 5 furlongs in 1:01.60 — that was 4th of 17.
  5. Believe in Royalty, a 3YO son of Tapit and out of the G1 KY Oaks winning mare Believe You Can, is trying to get back to his best running for trainer J. Larry Jones. He woke up a bit by running third in an allowance at Churchill Down on May 31, and then ran fourth in the Iowa Derby to High North on July 6. This one started his career with a huge bang, winning his second and third starts. Hasn’t seen the winner’s circle since, though. Time?
  6. Funny Duck, who shocked the world by winning the Pat Day Mile on KY Derby Day over an aptly-named sloppy track, was back in serious mode this morning at Saratoga. The son of Distorted Humor covered a half mile in :48.83 over the dirt training track. That was the 14th best time out of 34. Since the upset win in the Pat Day, he has run fourth in the G3 Matt Win and sixth in the G3 Indiana Derby. Time?
  7. Nitrous, a well-bred 2YO son of Tapit and trained by Asmussen, worked at Saratoga this morning, as well. This one, owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables, went an easy half mile in :51.90. That was the 33rd best time out of the 34 to go the distance. He is very fit, though. Impressive win at The Spa on July 21, running away to a 31/4-length victory to break the maiden. Stakes races coming soon.
  8. Dream Tree, once considered to be the best 3YO filly in the country and still undefeated with a perfect 4-for-4 record, is working her way back to the races for trainer Bob Baffert. The Uncle Mo filly, who was put on the shelf after winning the G2 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita for her third straight Stakes victory on Feb. 4, got her sixth published workout since June 30 this morning at Del Mar. She went 6 furlongs from the gate in 1:12.80. She was the only one to go that far this morning, and it looks like she may be getting ready for a start soon. If she can come back and duplicate her previous form, she will add to an already deep, deep pool of talented fillies and mares this year.