(Trainer Mike Maker conditions Henley’s Joy / Photo Courtesy of Churchill Downs)

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. Henley’s Joy, a 2YO colt by Kitten’s Joy and trained by Mike Maker, is a perfect 2-for-2 to date and appears headed to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in the next month or so. This morning, he was back at home at the Churchill Downs training track getting in some work. He went 5 furlongs over the fast surface in 1:02.50, which was the 8th best time out of 16 to make the distance. To date, this one has a win at Ellis Park, and, most recently, won the KY Downs Juvenile Stakes. Bears watching.
  2. Bolt d’Oro, one of the most promising 2YOs in the country a year ago and one of the most talked about challengers for this year’s Triple Crown, is right back here in the Kentucky. The talented son of Medaglia d’Oro worked a half-mile at Churchill Downs this morning, going the distance in :49.60. That was the 32nd fastest time out of 68 to work the distance. It was his first work here, and third since Sept. 7. The last time he ran, the colt was 11th in the Met Mile at Belmont Park on June 9. That followed a 12th place finish in the KY Derby. We will watch this one train very closely over the next month.
  3. Finley’sluckycharm, who has made a living for trainer W. Bret Calhoun at Churchill Downs, was back in familiar territory today. The 5YO Twirling Candy filly — who has a 11-3-0 record in 18 career starts and just a win away from topping the $1 million mark in earnings — went a brisk half-mile in :47.40. That was the third best time out of 68 to go that far. Keep an eye on her. When she gets her distance, she is awfully tough.