Undefeated Hutcheson S. (G2) romper FLASHPOINT (Pomeroy) motored five-eighths
in a bullet :59 4/5 Friday at Gulfstream Park, best of 14 works at the distance
on the fast track.
Trainer Rick Dutrow expects the up-and-coming gray to contest the April 3
Swale S. (G2), held over the same seven-furlong trip as the Hutcheson, but has
not completely ruled out a tilt at the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby (G1) on the same
day.
“He’s most likely going to run in the Swale, with the Florida Derby as a
backup,” Dutrow said. “It looks like the Florida Derby will be really tough, so
we’ll point him to the Swale.
“If things are any different on the day of entries, we could change our
plans, but we want to do what’s best for everyone.”
Dutrow added that Flashpoint is still under consideration for the Kentucky
Derby.
“It’s possible if he had the (graded) earnings. It depends on a lot of
things. We’re not ruling anything out.”
Flashpoint has also been nominated to the Wood Memorial (G1) and Bay Shore
(G3), both on April 9 at Aqueduct. A 6 1/4-length debut winner at Aqueduct on
January 15, he rolled to a 7 1/4-length triumph in the Hutcheson.
“We never expected to see what he’s done in his two races the way he trained
in the morning,” Dutrow said of the laid-back colt.
Dutrow also commented on several other prominent runners from his stable.
I WANT REVENGE (Stephen Got Even) and STRADIVINSKY (Stravinsky) have shipped
to Dubai, where they will compete in the Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) and Al Quoz
Sprint (UAE-G2), respectively, on Dubai World Cup night March 26. Assistant
trainer Michelle Nevin traveled with the pair.
“I don’t need to go,” said Dutrow, who’ll watch the races on television, just
as he did when he cheered on Benny the Bull and Diamond Stripes to victories in
the Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) and Godolphin Mile, respectively, in 2008.
AMEN HALLELUJAH (Montbrook), who captured the Davona Dale S. (G2) at
Gulfstream last year, will make her third start of the season in Saturday’s
Inside Information S. (G2). The four-year-old finished fifth in the January 23
Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint in her return from a lengthy layoff, and
was most recently runner-up behind the Todd Pletcher-trained Awesome Maria
(Maria’s Mon) in the February 19 Sabin S. (G3).
“I was happy with her last race, and the race before that was three-quarters,
which isn’t her game and she had a little bit of a rough trip,” Dutrow said. “I
never blamed her for getting beat last time. Todd’s filly ran huge.”
The Inside Information will likely be used as a prep for the Madison S.
(G1) at Keeneland on April 14.
“She really likes that surface,” said Dutrow, whose filly finished third over
Keeneland’s Polytrack in the 2009 Alcibiades S. (G1) in her first start for him.
Dutrow is looking forward to trying Amen Hallelujah on grass, over which she
worked six furlongs in 1:11 4/5 at Gulfstream on Sunday.
“I can’t wait to get her on the grass,” he said. “She really likes the grass
and worked great on it.”
Dutrow is glad to have TRICKMEISTER (Proud Citizen) and THIS ONES FOR PHIL (Untuttable)
both back in training and doing well.
Trickmeister is undefeated in four starts and has been sidelined since
capturing the Pleasant Colony S. by nearly 12 lengths last August in his first
since being privately purchased by in IEAH Stable. He won his first three starts
for breeders Brereton Jones and Timothy Thornton and trainer Cindy Jones.
“He has as much talent as any horse in the game,” Dutrow said of the
four-year-old, who is ready to resume galloping after recovering from cannon
bone issues.
This Ones for Phil has worked twice and should be ready to run within five or
six weeks. The five-year-old gelding, who had a rear-leg injury, is unraced
since an off-the-board finish in the Gulfstream Park H. (G2) a year ago. This
Ones for Phil’s best races have come over the Gulfstream Park surface, where he
was placed first by the disqualification of Big Drama in the 2009 Swale and won
a pair of Sunshine Millions races, the 2009 Dash and the 2010 Sprint.
“I’m happy to have him back,” Dutrow said. “He’s one of my best friends. When
he retires, he’ll come with me wherever I am.
“He’s as close to a human being as any horse I’ve known – him and Big Brown.
They’re cool horses.”