Chester Porter, Phil Milner and Randy Bloch's My Boston Gal turned in a sparkling effort in a steady rain with a sharp workout in preparation for Sunday's $200,000 Churchill Downs Distaff Handicap (gr.II).
The 4-year-old daughter of Boston Harbor zipped five furlongs over a "sloppy" track in 1:01. Jockey Calvin Borel was aboard the Carl Nafzger-trained filly for a move that ranked as the best of 24 at the distance."She worked good this morning," said Nafzger. "She's ready to go.
Let's hope we can finally get back on track."My Boston Gal has endured two mostly star-crossed seasons after
displaying potential brilliance in an unbeaten campaign at two that climaxed with a win in the Golden Rod (grade II) at Churchill Downs. She won the Beaumont (gr. II) at Keeneland at three before a fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks ended her 3-year-old season. She underwent throat surgery after that race and did not return to racing until she won a Churchill Downs allowance race on Kentucky Derby Day this year. She has failed to win in four starts since then, but did show promise last out in a third-place finish behind Molto Vita and Distaff rival My Trusty Cat in Keeneland's Thoroughbred Club of
America (gr. III).
"We had a lot of problems," said Nafzger. "We had the throat and did the surgery. We had an ankle that laid us up for a while. It's been quite a deal, but right now she's doing good and we're looking for a good race."
My Boston Gal has a career record of 5-3-1 in 12 races, but is 3-1-0 in five races at Churchill Downs. She has earned $489,441. Also prepping for the Churchill Downs Distaff on Tuesday was K & K
Racing Stable's La Reason, winner of the Molly Pitcher Breeders' Cup (gr. II) at Monmouth Park and third to Adoration in the Fleur de Lis (gr. II) at Churchill Downs. The David Vance-trained daughter of Labeeb covered five furlongs in 1:03.20.Vance is expected to start both La Reason and Carl Pollard's
Honorable Miss (gr. II) winner My Trusty Cat in Sunday's one-mile race for older fillies & mares.