Four Donn Contenders Work Toward Saturday Race

Graeme Hall, Traditionally, and Free of Love were on the track at Gulfstream Park Monday as each turned in workouts for Saturday's $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I). Meanwhile, Hal's Hope had his final blowout at Calder Race Course.

Graeme Hall, who carries topweight of 118 pounds in the Donn, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 3/5, with Cindy Hutter in the saddle. Trainer Todd Pletcher said the 5-year-old was ridden out six furlongs in 1:15 and change.

"It was a very good work," Pletcher said. "He's been training well and I hope he's fit enough for the Donn. It's hard to guess with the track being deep but we'll find out on Saturday."

Traditionally breezed a half-mile in :48 1/5. "It was a good work and it'll be his last work before the Donn," said Robbie Medina, assistant to trainer Shug McGaughey. "He's been training well and is coming up to the race in good shape."

Richard Violette Jr.-trained Free of Love breezed a half-mile in :48 1/5 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00 and change. "I'm satisfied with his trial this morning," Violette said. "So far so good. We'll see how he's doing the next couple of days and he's all right then we'll enter him on Wednesday and run him on Saturday."

Meanwhile, Hal's Hope had a three-furlong blowout at Calder Race Course, going in :34 2/5 handily.

"He worked all right," said owner-trainer-breeder Harold Rose following the Monday move. "It was just about what we were looking for."

With a victory Saturday Hal's Hope would join Cryptoclearance as the only horses in Gulfstream Park history to capture both the Florida Derby and the Donn Handicap. Cryptoclearance won the Florida Derby in 1987 and the Donn in 1989.