Ice Box fires bullet half-mile; Dave in Dixie added to Belmont field

Last updated: 5/27/10 5:53 PM

Ice Box fires bullet half-mile; Dave in Dixie added to
Belmont field

Ice Box was smoking on the deep Oklahoma training track
(Guy Gustafson/Horsephotos.com)

Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up ICE BOX (Pulpit) sizzled a half-mile in a
bullet :46 3/5 Thursday morning over Saratoga’s fast Oklahoma training
track. In his final serious move for the June 5 Belmont
S. (G1), the Nick Zito pupil posted easily the fastest of 22 works at
the distance.

Spotting three-year-old maiden stablemate Dark Cove (Medaglia d’Oro)
five lengths at the start of the workout, Ice Box went in :23 1/5 for
the first quarter and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01. Dark Cove
completed his half-mile drill in :48 2/5, the second-best time for the
distance on the day.

“I liked everything about the work,” the Hall of Fame trainer said of
Ice Box, who captured the Florida Derby (G1) two starts back.

“I wanted to see what I saw (in his work). He finished with good
energy and he looked good doing it. That’s the main thing.

“Sometimes, you got to have a little zip in him, even though he’s going a
mile and a half. This is the exact workout he had coming into the Kentucky
Derby. Hopefully, everything goes good.”

Zito plans to work his other Belmont hopeful, Dwyer S. (G2) winner FLY DOWN
(Mineshaft), either Sunday or Monday at Saratoga. Zito, Ice Box and Fly Down are
all scheduled to arrive at Belmont Park
on Wednesday.

At Aqueduct, Belmont hopeful SPANGLED STAR (Distorted Humor) breezed in
company with stablemate D’ Funnybone (D’wildcat), and the pair covered five
furlongs in 1:01 2/5.

“The two of them went together,” Spangled Star’s owner, Lawrence P. Roman,
said. “The last time they worked out Spangled Star opened about five lengths (on
D’ Funnybone). This time they stayed together, with Spangled Star outgaming D’
Funnybone by a neck. They were really battling. They went slow at the beginning
but were flying at the end. Both riders were happy with the way their horses
went.”

Roman realizes that Spangled Star, who was third in the Withers S. (G3) in
his most recent effort, will have to take a step forward to be a serious
contender in the Belmont, but has been pleased with his colt’s recent progress.

“According to the groom and (trainer) Rick (Dutrow), he’s doing better than
ever,” Roman said. “I’m not a big believer in workouts, but he seems to be doing
well.”

In other Belmont news:

Dave in Dixie will try to live up to his early promise
(Benoit Photos)

The likely field for the 142nd running of the $1 million Belmont swelled to
11 Thursday with the announcement that Ike and Dawn Thrash’s DAVE IN DIXIE
(Dixie Union) is targeting the classic race.

Trained by John Sadler, Dave in Dixie broke his maiden at first asking last
summer at Del Mar and was sixth behind eventual Preakness S. (G1) winner Lookin
at Lucky (Smart Strike) in the Norfolk S. (G1) in his only other start as a
juvenile.

Dave in Dixie began his three-year-old campaign with a second-place effort in
the Robert B. Lewis S. (G2) at Santa Anita, and followed that by finishing sixth
in the San Felipe S. (G2) and fifth in the Illinois Derby (G3) , his first start
on dirt, on April 3.

According to Thrash, the decision to join the Belmont field was finalized
after Dave in Dixie worked a mile at Hollywood Park Thursday morning in 1:39 3/5
on the Cushion Track.

“It’s worth a shot,” Thrash said. “He worked for the last time (before the
Belmont) this morning and we waited until afterward to make sure he was coming.”

Thrash added that Calvin Borel will ride Dave in Dixie.

Thrash was represented in the Kentucky Derby (G1) by Line of David (Lion
Heart), the winner of the Arkansas Derby (G1), who finished 18th at Churchill
Downs. He intended to have a runner in the Preakness, in the shape of Derby
Trial S. (G3) winner Hurricane Ike (Graeme Hall). Unfortunately, Hurricane Ike
had to be withdrawn from Preakness consideration the morning of entry because of
injury.

Besides Ice Box, Fly Down, Spangled Star and Dave in Dixie, the field for the
Belmont includes DROSSELMEYER (Distorted Humor), FIRST DUDE (Stephen Got Even),
GAME ON DUDE (Awesome Again), MAKE MUSIC FOR ME (Bernstein), STATELY VICTOR (Ghostzapper),
STAY PUT (Broken Vow) and UPTOWNCHARLYBROWN (Limehouse).