Mike Maker, assistant trainer for D. Wayne Lukas, said Proud Citizen came out of yesterday's half-mile breeze in excellent shape.
Perfect Drift, third in the Kentucky Derby, worked six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 at the Trackside training center near Churchill Downs Monday. Trainer Murray Johnson caught the son of Dynaformer galloping out the seven furlongs in 1:26 2/5."We were looking for 1:13, so the work was right on the money," Johnson said. Perfect Drift, who will be ridden in the Belmont by Eddie Delahoussaye, is scheduled to ship to New York a week from Wednesday, along with the other Louisville-based horses.Trainer Bobby Frankel said he might not make a decision whether to run Medaglia d'Oro in the Belmont until entry day. Frankel said if Medaglia d'Oro does run, Kent Desormeaux likely will get the mount, replacing Jerry Bailey, who will ride Godolphin's Essence of Dubai. Frankel feels Medaglia d'Oro didn't handle the track at Pimlico. "He came out of the race in great shape," Frankel said. "We might have had him too close to the pace. I think he's better if you take him back a little. He was up close in the Wood Memorial, but they ran the half almost a full second slower than they did in the Preakness."Assistant trainer Tom Albertrani said Essence of Dubai will work in the next couple of days. "He hasn't changed much since the Derby," Albertrani said. "He continues to train well."Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem had his usual mile and a half gallop Monday morning, and trainer Bob Baffert is happy with the way the colt has been relaxing. "He's doing awesome," Baffert said. "He's really relaxed so much over the last few weeks. He galloped nice and easy today."
