Trainer Claude "Shug" McGaughey III said this morning that 2-year-old filly champion Storm Flag Flying just started jogging this morning at Dr. Larry Bramlage's facility in Kentucky after taking a couple of months off to correct both of her hind cannon bones. Surgery was not required."She got a clean bill of health from Dr. Bramlage yesterday (Tuesday) and she jogged around the track this morning for a little bit," McGaughey said. "After her last race, we sent her down there to get evaluated. She had some problems with her back cannon bones and we have her about 60 days off to fix it." After having an undefeated season as a 2-year-old, Storm Flag Flying struggled to finish third in the Comely Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct and was sixth in the grade I Acorn at Belmont Park. Trainer Bobby Frankel worked Sightseek over the main track this morning in preparation for her start in the grade I, $300,000 Ruffian Handicap at Belmont Park on Saturday September 13. Sightseek, a winner of three consecutive grade 1 stakes, worked five furlongs in 102 2/5. "She came back fine, and is on schedule for the Ruffian," Frankel said. After winning the Humana Distaff on Kentucky Derby day, Sightseek went on to win the Ogden Phipps Handicap on June 21 at Belmont Park. At Saratoga on July 27, the 4-year-old won the Go For Wand by more than 11 lengths as the 1-9 choice. Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas' Proud Citizen put in the best three-furlong work of the morning on Saratoga's main track, completing the work in :36. Proud Citizen is heading towards the Forego on Sunday, Aug. 31. He had also been nominated for the Woodward Memorial (gr. I) at Belmont Park, but Lukas said this morning that the grade I, $250,000 Forego would be Proud Citizen's next move."I think it's a good spot for him," Lukas said, adding that if Proud Citizen performs well at the short distance, he'll send him to the Vosburgh (gr. I, Sept. 27, Belmont Park, $500,000) in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Championships at Santa Anita on Oct. 25.
Sword Dancer (gr. IT) winner Whitmore's Conn got in a work this morning over the Oklahoma turf course. The Randy Schulhofer trainee went a half-mile in :49, and has been nominated for the Man o' War Stakes (gr. IT) at 11 furlongs at Belmont Park on Sept. 6. After winning the Bowling Green Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont, Michael Shanley's Whitmore's Conn took the Sword Dancer as a 25-1 longshot.
