Here and There...

Lemon Drop Kid drilled five furlongs in :59.65 at Belmont Park Thursday morning, the quickest of 27 works at the distance on the day. The Whitney Handicap (gr. I) winner is preparing for a start in the $500,000 Woodward (gr. I) at Belmont on Sept. 16th. In other Thursday works, Schuylerville Stakes (gr. II) winner Gold Mover, recovering from what trainer Mark Hennig called an "active shin," breezed four furlongs in :54.01 over a fast track. Secretariat Stakes (gr. I) winner Ciro breezed five furlongs over Belmont's inner turf course in 1:03.91. Meanwhile at Del Mar, Early Pioneer worked a mile over the main track. The Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) winner, preparing for a start in the $500,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) at Turfway Park Sept. 16th, covered the distance in 1:38 3/5, handily. Others being pointed toward Turfway Park's 1 1/8-mile race include Golden Missile, Cat Thief, and Captain Steve...Aptitude, who has not raced since finishing third in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), recorded his first official work Tuesday, going three furlongs in :37.60. Aptitude, trained by Bobby Frankel, is at Del Mar. Also working at the seaside track Tuesday was Captain Steve. The colt is pointed at the Sept. 16 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II), and in preparation worked seven furlongs in 1:26...Michael Buckley has joined the staff of Ireland's Kildangan Stud. Buckley will work with the Darley satellite as nominations manager at the farm and for the operation's stallions worldwide...Middle Park Stakes (Eng-I) winner Lujain has been retired and will enter stud next year at Dalham Hall Stud near Newmarket, England. Raced by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin Racing, the 4-year-old son of Seeking the Gold won half of his six career starts, with all his victories coming from four starts as a juvenile. The colt, who is from the same female family as successful sires Miswaki and Southern Halo, will stand for 5,000 pounds.