By Karen M. Johnson
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin worked his two Breeders’ Cup pre-entrants and grade I winners, Lear’s Princess and Lahudood, at Belmont Park Oct. 19, a day earlier than planned because heavy rain was forecast for the afternoon.
With exercise rider Renzo Morales aboard, Lear’s Princess worked at 7:30 a.m. over the main track, which was listed as fast. Lear’s Princess worked a half-mile in 50.04 seconds and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03, according to McLaughlin. The work was ranked the 12th fastest of 19 at the distance.
Twenty minutes after Lear’s Princess’ work, Lahudood was on the main track, with Morales aboard. The clockers credited Lahudood with a five-furlong move in 1:00.14. McLaughlin said the work was four furlongs, which he timed in 46.90 seconds. McLaughlin said he caught Lahudood galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.
Lear’s Princess, winner of the Sept. 15 Gazelle (gr.I) in her last start, will run in the $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Distaff Oct. 27. Lahudood, who scored an upset in the Sept. 29 Flower Bowl Invitational (gr.IT) in her last race, will start in the $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf Oct. 27.
“Both horses worked very well,” McLaughlin said Oct. 19. “I called an audible because of the weather. I was going to work both of them after the (harrowing break), but when it started to drizzle around 7:15, I decided to work then.”
McLaughlin said he wasn’t concerned that Lahudood’s work was on the quick side, nor was he bothered by Lear’s Princess’ moderate work.
“It’s okay about Lahudood because the race is eight days out; it wouldn’t have been to my liking if it had been on Monday,” he said. “She is just an aggressive horse in her training anyway. We planned on working her only once for this race.”
Lear’s Princess breezed twice in Saratoga following her Gazelle win.
“This was a maintenance work for (Lear’s Princess),” McLaughlin said. “She is on the light side. We have had proper timing with her races and have had her on a weekly work schedule.”
In the Breeders’ Cup, McLaughlin said Eibar Coa will ride Lear’s Princess, and Alan Garcia has the mount on Lahudood.
Both horses will ship to Monmouth Park Oct. 25.
Other Breeders’ Cup pre-entrants working in New York Oct. 19 were Jazzy, Gio Ponti, Corinthian, Oprah Winney, and Commentator.
Jazzy, a supplemental nominee pointing for the inaugural running of the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint Oct. 26, breezed a half-mile in 48.45 seconds over Belmont’s main track.
Gio Ponti, pre-entered in the inaugural running of the $1 million Juvenile Turf Oct. 26, worked four furlongs in company with stablemate Greenery. Both horses were clocked in 48.18 seconds over Belmont’s inner turf, which was labeled firm.
On Belmont’s training track, Corinthian worked six furlongs in 1:11.75 for his start in the inaugural running of the $1 million Dirt Mile Oct. 26.
At Aqueduct, Oprah Winney covered five furlongs in a swift 59.45 seconds, the fastest of nine works at the distance. Oprah Winney is pre-entered in the Filly and Mare Sprint.
Over Saratoga’s Oklahoma surface, Commentator worked a bullet half-mile in 46.92 seconds in preparation for the $2 million TVG Sprint Oct. 27, which has been designated as his first preference. Commentator was cross-entered in the Dirt Mile.
