(Vexatious in the post parade at Keeneland / Photo by Holly M. Smith)

(Vexatious winning the G3 Dowager at Keeneland / Photo Courtesy of Keeneland)

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. Mitole, a 3YO son of Eskendereya and one of the fastest horses in the land earlier this year, was back in training at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans on Wednesday. The talented runner — who has carved out a 4-2-1 record in 7 starts — has not raced since scoring his third straight win in the Chick Lang Stakes over a sloppy track at Pimlico on May 19. He got his first published work since then on Wednesday, going an easy half-mile in :52.40. That was the 32nd best time out of 33. But it was great to see this one back in the “work column” and headed in the right direction. He is a pure talent.
  2. Mr. Money, a 2YO son of Goldencents and trained now by W. Bret Calhoun, ran last in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2. Ran a dynamite 4th that day to the undefeated Game Winner at odds of over 41-to-1. In 4 career starts to date, he has a win and 2 seconds and that 4th. He worked on Wednesday at the Fair Grounds, as well, going a half-mile in :49.20. that was the 4th best time out of the 33. Look for this one to show up in some of the real nice 3YO preps that are charted early in the year.
  3. Roadster, one of the most talented young runners in the Team Baffert barn and an early pick to be one of his top choices for the 2019 KY Derby, was back on the track at Santa Anita on Wednesday. The son of Quality Road — who won impressively on debut before running third in the Del Mar Futurity to his undefeated teammate Game Winner on Sept. 3 — got his first published work since that defeat. He went 3 furlongs in :36 flat, which was the 3rd fastest time out of 27 to go that short distance. This one looks to have the ability to be one of the top stars in the barn going forward.
  4. Vexatious, a 4YO Giant’s Causeway filly trained by Neil Drysdale for Calumet Farm, worked at Santa Anita on Wednesday, as well. this one captured the G3 Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes at Keeneland in October and then returned to the West Coast to run third in the G3 Red Carpet Stakes at Del Mar about a week ago. in 6 starts this year, she has 2 wins and 2 thirds. On Wednesday, she got a little opportunity to stretch her legs a bit, going an easy 3 furlongs in :38 flat. That was the 22nd best time out of the 27.
  5. Coliseum, a well-bred, 2YO son of Tapit trained by Team Baffert, burst onto the scene in a dominating way when he scored an impressive MSW victory at Del Mar on Nov. 17 in the career debut. This one, a home-bred of Godolphin Stables, may be the real deal and another major threat for the 2019 Triple Crown previews. He went a very nice half-mile on Wednesday at Santa Anita in :48 flat — which was the 9th best time out of the 75 to go the distance. Worth putting this one on notice. Could be worth your while.
  6. McKinzie, who ran a disappointing and baffling 12th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in his last out, was back in training at Santa Anita on Wednesday, as well. The 3YO son of Street Sense had  won 4 of his first 5 career races — with his only loss being a DQ — prior to the BC Classic. But he was a no-show that day. He got his first true test since that effort this week, and went a half-mile in :49 flat. That was the 37th best time out of the 75. Will be interesting to see what the HOF trainer will do next. Malibu?
  7. Mucho Gusto, a 2YO son of Mucho Macho Man and another one of the baby brigade from the Baffert barn, worked on Wednesday, too. This one — who is undefeated after his first two tries, including a win in the G3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 17 — went 4 furlongs in :48.20. That was the 16th best time.