Bernardini Breezes 5 Furlongs in :58 4/5 for Jim Dandy

Darley Stable's Bernardini, winner of the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), turned in an eye-catching work at Belmont Monday, breezing five furlongs in a bullet :58 4/5, the fastest of 15 works at the distance. The colt will make his next start in the July 29 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II).

"We were looking for about 1:00, galloping out in 1:13," trainer Tom Albertrani said. "But he did it so easily, and that's the important thing. He came back like he never worked and wasn't blowing at all. Simon (Harris) said he never had to ask him.

"He went off in :12 3/5 and :24 and change and then started to pick it up. He came home his last quarter in :23 and change and galloped out in 1:12 1/5. Even in his last few works, even though he worked slower, he galloped out very strong. This wasn't that surprising; he did work in :59 2/5 before the Preakness."

Albertrani said Bernardini will run in the Jim Dandy, with Saturday's Ohio Derby (gr. II) winner Deputy Glitters going in the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) the following week.

"He's a good horse, and he deserves to be in there," Albertrani said. "He's already beaten Bluegrass Cat (in the grade III Tampa Bay Derby), and he's had so many obstacles since that race. There was the sloppy track in the Wood Memorial and the horrible trip in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). The Belmont was a mystery. We thought he had displaced, but he did break out in a skin disease shortly after the race, so maybe his immune system was a bit low and he was coming down with something."

Albertrani said he will have to decide what to do with Deputy Glitters following the Haskell. "We would have gone in the Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II), but they're not running it this year," he said.

Also on the Belmont work tab Monday was Discreet Cat, who was forced out of the Dwyer Stakes (gr. II) with an illness. The UAE Derby (UAE-II) winner breezed three furlongs in :37 2/5.

Bluegrass Cat, runner-up in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Belmont Stakes (gr. I), worked Monday for the Haskell, breezing five furlongs in 1:01 3/5.

Another prospective Haskell starter, Sinister Minister, winner of the Toyotal Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), is scheduled to work Wednesday at Santa Anita for trainer Bob Baffert.