From Aqueduct
Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out two of his charges for works March 30 on the fast training track at Belmont Park. Both Stonerside Stable’s Texas Wildcatter and Peachtree Stable’s Spurrier are nominated to the April 5 Wood Memorial (gr. I) for 3-year-olds at nine furlongs on Aqueduct’s main track.
Texas Wildcatter, beaten a nose by Visionaire in the foggy Gotham (gr. III) March 8 at Aqueduct, worked a half-mile in :49.92, breezing, while Spurrier went five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.03.
Pletcher also worked TeamValor International’s King of the Roxy. He is expected to run on Wood Memorial day in the 108th running of the $300,000 Carter Handicap (gr. I) at seven furlongs
Albert Fried Jr.’s Giant Moon, also pointed to the Wood Memorial, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.09 at Belmont Park March 30 under exercise rider Caesar Correa. The New York-bred son of Giant's Causeway has trained well since suffering his first career loss in the Gotham.
“The horse won four in a row on dry tracks, and then he loses in the slop in the Gotham,” said trainer Richard Schosberg. “So, we’re not going to make rocket science out of this. We’re just going to stay away from sloppy tracks.
“He’s trained really well since the Gotham, but he really had to since he didn’t even get a good workout in the Gotham. It was like an easy gallop in the slop. We turned it up in his last workout (bullet five furlongs in :59 4/5, handily March 22) and today, he finished with a lot left in the tank. There was no need to go whipping and driving on him. He’s all set for the Wood Memorial. Now, we need the weather to cooperate.”
With regular jockey Ramon Dominguez out of town April 5, Jorge Chavez will ride Giant Moon in the Wood Memorial, according to Schosberg.
