Lion Heart's breeze was the fastest of 14 works at the distance, and the only one to break :50. "I was very pleased with his work this morning," trainer Patrick Biancone said. "I haven't decided yet whether he'll come back in the Haskell or Jim Dandy. I'll just wait and see."

As for the possibility of meeting Smarty Jones again in the Haskell, Biancone, who has never been one to duck anybody, said, "It's always better to aim too high than aim too low and hit the ground."

Lion Heart, owned by Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, won the first three races of his career last year, including the Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) and Hollywood Prevue (gr. III). This year, he finished second in his first three starts. After being beaten a neck by Imperialsim in the one-mile San Rafael Stakes (gr. II), the son of Tale of the Cat finished a half-length behind The Cliff's Edge in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), then was beaten almost three lengths by Smarty Jones in the Kentucky Derby after setting all the pace. In his last start, he was a well-beaten fourth behind Smarty Jones in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).