Last summer at Saratoga, Godolphin won four grade I races, including the Test with Flashing, the Ballerina with Music Note, the Go for Wand with Seventh Street, and the Forego with Pyro.
The fillies have since been retired, but the stable is gearing up for another busy summer with multiple grade I winner Vineyard Haven, Top Flight (gr. I) winner Sara Louise, and Louisiana Super Derby (gr. II) winner Regal Ransom, among others.
Of the stable’s 16 horses, Regal Ransom, last seen finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I), is closest to making a return.
“He’s had two five-eighths works, and will probably go a third five-eighths, and gallop out three-quarters, in the next couple of days,” reported Godolphin assistant Rick Mettee June 11. “It’s looking like he’s going to land in the Suburban (gr. II, July 3). It’s a tough comeback race going nine furlongs, but it will likely be a small field, plus he’s run well fresh before.”
Vineyard Haven, who closed out his 2009 campaign by finishing third in the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile (gr. I), most recently breezed a half-mile in :48.70 on June 3.
“He’s gone a couple of half-miles, and sometime over the next few days he’ll step up to five-eighths,” said Mettee. “We have nothing specifically picked out for him, so we’re probably looking at Saratoga. If we look at the Forego (gr. I, Sept. 4), we’d look to get a run into him sometime early in the meet.”
Sara Louise, who won the Victory Ride (gr. III) at the Spa last year, will likely return in the Honorable Miss on Aug. 8, said Mettee.