"He arrived by plane and galloped over the track this morning (Wednesday)," said McNamara. "He has no problem shipping all over the place, so there's almost no adjustment period for him. He's relaxed, but he hasn't raced in a little while so he tends to be a little sharp in his races. That might actually keep him closer to the front Saturday so he doesn't have as much to do at the end of it."
Trainer Dallas Stewart is set to unwind Clock Stopper on South Florida when the speedy son of Gilded Time takes the gate for Saturday's Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II), going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park.The 5-year-old gelding hasn't won since an allowance race at Churchill Downs last summer, but has been hitting nearly every major sprint race around the country, including a sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Lone Star Park last October. Clock Stopper, campaigned by Overbrook Farm, tends to run late in the race, but he's been running out of time in six-furlong events. The seven-furlong Richter Scale is encouraging to his connections."He absolutely needs a fast pace because he is a true come-from-behind sprinter," said Joanne McNamara, Stewart's assistant at Gulfstream. "He loves to close and the seven-eighths should really suit him." Stewart has had success shipping his horses this winter. He brought Cape Hope in to win the Gaily Gaily Stakes Feb. 20 and saw Hot Storm finish third in the March 5 Stonerside Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) after she had won the Pepsi Sunshine Millions Oaks at Santa Anita. McNamara and Stewart are trying to give Clock Stopper the same routine as the other stars.