(Greyvitos winning the Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar last November / Photo Courtesy of Del Mar)

Every day, we scour the work tabs at racetracks and training facilities all over North America. We are searching for those horses that appear to be peaking at just the right time and may be sitting on a top performance in the afternoons. Some of the horses that we watch and track, you will know. Others, though, you may not recognize — yet. Here is a closer look at some of today’s morning glories:

  1. Coltsandmississippi, a 3YO son of Pioneerof the Nile and a horse that trainer Todd Pletcher had on the KY Derby Trail at one time, worked this morning up at Belmont Park in New York. He went a half mile over the dirt training track in a time of :49.43, which was the 59th best time out of 221 to go that distance today. This colt ran third in the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct and followed that up with a fourth to Enticed in the Withers Stakes. Don’t know yet where this one may show up again, but worth noting.
  2. Gleason, a really nice son of Algorithms and trained by Pletcher, worked at Belmont this morning, as well. This one, who broke his maiden earlier this year at Tampa Bay in a nice effort and recently returned to run a game second at Aqueduct went a half mile in :48.88. That was the 23rd best time of the day. Keep an eye on this one. He has some nice lick to him.
  3. Greyvitos, the Virginia-bred son of Malibu Moon who ran himself into the early KY Derby picture when he dominated in a nice win in the Springboard Mile at Remington Park last year, worked at Del Mar this morning for trainer Adam Kitchingman. He went 7 furlongs in 1:27.80, which was the bullet work at that distance. This was the second endurance work in a row for the colt, who now has 7 published works since Feb. 26. It may be time to see if he can match his old running style.
  4. Monomoy Girl, the prohibitive favorite for the G1 Ashland Stakes later this week at Keeneland, worked this morning in Lexington for trainer Brad Cox — fresh off his win for the Trainer’s Title at the Fair Grounds. The filly went a half mile in a brisk :47 flat — which was the bullet out of 44 to go that distance today. Watch out. Sitting on go. Again.
  5. Ride a Comet, a 3YO son of Candy Ride who was a disappointing 8th in the Jeff Ruby Stakes at Turfway Park on March 17, worked this morning at Keeneland for trainer Mark Casse. He, too, went a half mile in :47 flat, which was the bullet of the day. That move, like the one above, was over a quick dirt surface.
  6. Quip, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby over Flameaway in their last matchup, tuned up for this weekend’s Blue Grass Stakes today. He went 5-furlongs for trainer Rodolphe Brisset in 1:00.40, which was the 2nd best time out of 15 to go that far. The Blue Grass is really shaping up as one heck of a race.