Volponi Works Sharp Half in :47 3/5 for BC Classic

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Volponi, last year's upset winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I), worked a half-mile in :47 3/5 over the Belmont training track Tuesday morning, much to the satisfaction of jockey Jose Santos.

"He finished fast and came back great," trainer Phil Johnson said. "The training track was in good shape, but the main track was wet-fast and very hard. Jose said he was very happy with him. He left to go visit his family in Florida, and called from the airport to say again how happy he was with the work."

Clockers caught the son of Cryptoclearance in fractions of :11 4/5 and :23 4/5. After a final quarter in :23 4/5, Volponi galloped out 5 furlongs in 1:00 2/5 and pulled up six furlongs 1:14 3/5.

Volponi has not won a race since his Classic victory, but has turned in excellent second-place finishes in the Brooklyn (gr. II), Suburban (gr. I), and Whitney (gr. I). In the last two, he was beaten by mineshaft and Medaglia d'Oro. In his last start, he finished fourth in the Meadowlands Cup (gr. III), but was moved up to third on a disqualification.

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