"He's just such a big horse," said Stewart. "When they get that big, they tend to have shin problems and we needed to back off him after his last race because of those problems. "We're taking the approach that if he's ready, we'll be ready," he added. "If he can make it for a spring campaign we'll go for it, but if he's not, we'll just get him started when the time is right."Stewart worked Flanders Field in tandem with the grade III winning sprinter Clock Stopper Monday, also preparing for a return to the races after surgery for a torn tendon. Both were credited with bullet times of :59 2/5 for five furlongs.
Overbrook Farm's royally bred 3-year-old Flanders Field is working for his 3-year-old debut for trainer Dallas Stewart at Gulfstream Park after being pulled from training last year with shin problems.Flanders Field is a son of A.P. Indy out of Flanders, the 1994 Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly. An impressive maiden winner at Belmont Park in September, Flanders Field missed the major Eastern juvenile races in the fall. He was fifth in the Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs in November, then disappointed when fourth as the favorite in the What a Pleasure Stakes at Calder when trying two turns for the first time a month later.