Breeders' Cup Preview Notes Continued

• Email
• Print
• Tweet

Dancinginmydreams, owned by Ogden Phipps, breezed four furlongs this morning in :49 over the fast main track in company with Procession. The 2-year-old filly will start in Saturday's Grade I, $500,000 Frizette.

"She worked fine," trainer Shug McGaughey said. "She never works fast. You kind of have to ask her a bit, but she goes along fine."
Dancinginmydreams, a deep closer who has come from well off the pace in her two starts, just missed running down undefeated Raging Fever in the Matron coming from 15 lengths back. In her maiden race, she came from 12 back to catch Western Justice, who she will face again in the Frizette.

"I was very pleased with her race in the Matron," McGaughey said. "I thought she ran real good. If we get some more speed in the race, that would help us a little bit."

The Frizette, a sixteenth of a mile longer than the Matron, should be a better fit for the stretch runner.

"She'll be back there," McGaughey said. "I would think the extra distance should help. The farther the better."

McGaughey will also saddle a horse in the Frizette's brother race, the Grade I, $500,000 Champagne at the same distance. On Monday, Saint Verre breezed four furlongs in :47 2/5.

"He worked very well," McGaughey said. "He went great."
Saint Verre was purchased by owner Joseph Allen from Philadelphia-based owner-trainer Mary Goodman after the Saint Ballado colt's 10 ¾-length win in his career debut against Philadelphia Park maidens.

McGaughey was originally skeptical of the colt's win at Philadelphia, but Saint Verre has shown his talent. In his first start for Allen and McGaughey, he finished fourth in the Hopeful. Saint Verre rebounded in an allowance to win by 7 ½ in 1:23 1/5.

"We found out a little something about him after he ran the first time," McGaughey said. "We brought him back, trained him a little bit and he ran real good in his last race.

"I'm excited about the weekend. We've got two good chances and some others to run. We'll see what happens."

McGaughey has saddled three Champagne winners in Polish Navy (1986), Easy Goer (1988), and Adjudicating (1989). He won three consecutive Frizettes from 1991 to 1993 with Preach, Educated Risk, and Heavenly Prize. McGaughey also won the 1986 Frizette with Personal Ensign.

Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens has won just about every stakes race, here in New York, at least once during his career, yet he has never trained a winner of the Frizette. He may get his chance on Saturday, when he saddles Hobeau Farm's Shop Here, a 2-year-old daughter of Dehere, in the Grade I stakes event.

According to Jerkens' wife and assistant, Elisabeth, Shop Here will be running, and he will be retaining the rider services of jockey Raul Rojas, who has been aboard for all three of her starts, including a seven-furlong allowance race, here at Belmont Park, most recently.
The sire, Dehere, is of course remembered for having swept all three of Saratoga's major stakes for juveniles in 1993 en route to a 2-year-old colt championship.

Sorin Stables' Ommadon is scheduled to have his final workout Wednesday morning before Saturday's Grade I Champagne. After breaking his maiden at Saratoga, the son of 1996 Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone finished fourth in Belmont Park's Grade I Futurity, last month.

"He's doing well," said trainer Tom Walsh. "He breezed seven furlongs last Thursday in 1:24 4/5, and was out a mile in :38 and change. He's going to work a half-mile over the main track tomorrow morning."

Jockey Mike Smith, who was aboard for his last two starts, was going to ride; however, the riding assignment has now been changed to jockey Aaron Gryder.

Intidab will not run in the Forest Hills. The True North winner will now train up to the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
"He suffered a minor setback and missed an important work for the Forest Hills," McLaughlin said.

Istintaj, another Shadwell horse nominated to the Forest Hills, is likely to run in the Phoenix at Keeneland.

Jockey Mike Smith, who was aboard for his last two starts, was going to ride; however, the riding assignment has now been changed to jockey Aaron Gryder.

Intidab will not run in the Forest Hills. The True North winner will now train up to the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
"He suffered a minor setback and missed an important work for the Forest Hills," McLaughlin said.

Istintaj, another Shadwell horse nominated to the Forest Hills, is likely to run in the Phoenix at Keeneland.

• Email
• Print
• Tweet