Dullahan appeared on the Churchill Downs work tab on Saturday for the first
time since his seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and trainer
Dale Romans said the son of Even the Score would run next in Monmouth Park’s
Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational on July 29.
“We haven’t given up thinking he can run on dirt,” Romans said. “If we want
to try him on the turf after that, we can always wheel him back in the
Secretariat.”
The Grade 1 Secretariat is scheduled for 1 1/4 miles on the turf at Arlington
Park on August 18.
Working in the second set after the renovation break, Dullahan breezed five
furlongs on the fast main track in 1:00 3/5, which was the fifth fastest move of
28 at the distance. Dullahan recorded fractions of :12 3/5, :24 2/5, :36, :47
4/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 1/5.
“He worked well,” Romans said. “We wanted him to get out there and stretch
his legs.”
Dullahan is one of many stars in the Romans barn and the
Louisville-born trainer provided details Saturday on stakes plans for several of
his major horses.
Shackleford, winner of the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap by the narrowest of
margins, will make his next start in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga on
August 4. Shackleford breezed five furlongs on Saturday morning in 1:03 3/5.
Shackleford’s older half-sister Afleeting Lady, who finished second behind
Royal Delta in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap, will be pointed to the Grade 2
Molly Pitcher on July 29 at Monmouth Park.
Little Mike, winner of the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, has been
shipped to California for next Saturday’s Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood
Park.
Tapitsfly, winner of the Grade 1 Just a Game at Belmont Park in her last
start, will be pointed to the Grade 1 Diana on the turf at Saratoga on July 28.
Tapitsfly was under consideration for the Grade 2 Firecracker Handicap at
Churchill Downs, but Romans decided he wanted the five-year-old daughter of
Tapit to have more time between races.
Romans will have a starter in the Firecracker, though. Guys Reward is being
pointed to the event off his victory in the Opening Verse at Churchill Downs on
June 9. It was the second win of the Spring Meet at Churchill Downs for Guys
Reward, who was third in last spring’s Grade 3 Louisville Handicap.
The Firecracker is one of two stakes that will be run at Churchill Downs on
closing weekend. The other is the Grade 3 Bashford Manor for two-year-olds at
six furlongs. Romans will start Roman’s Avenue, who broke his maiden in his
career debut on May 27.
Silver Max, winner of the Grade 2 American Turf Presented the recent Oliver
Stakes at Indiana Downs, will appear next in the Grade 3 American Derby on July
14 or the Grade 2 Virginia Derby on July 21. Romans said he is leaning toward an
American Derby run for Silver Max.
Depending on which race Silver Max runs in, Romans could have two starters in
the American Derby or Virginia Derby. Cozzetti, runner-up in the Oliver,
is being pointed to the American Derby, while Finnegans Wake, winner of a turf
allowance at Churchill Downs on June 10, is scheduled to start next in the
Virginia Derby.
One top performer in the barn without a short-term race target is multiple
Grade 1 winner Sassy Image, who returned from a more than eight-month layoff to
finish sixth when trying to defend her title in this year’s Grade 1 Humana
Distaff. She worked five furlongs on the main track Saturday morning in 1:00. It
was the second fastest work at the distance.
Romans also revealed that O’Prado Again, winner of the Grade 2 Remsen last
November, could be back breezing at Churchill Downs as early as next week.
O’Prado Again missed the first half of the year with a cracked shin in his right
front leg.
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