Mr Speaker posts five-furlong work in advance of possible start in Travers

Mr Speaker posts five-furlong work in advance of possible
start in Travers

Mr Speaker will be looking for his first win on dirt if he is entered in the Travers on August 23 (NYRA/Susie Raisher/Adam Coglianese Photography) A graded stakes winner on turf and synthetics, Mr Speaker tuned up for a possible start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers with a five-furlong work over the fast main track at Saratoga on Sunday. Working in company, the three-year-old Pulpit colt was clocked in 1:01 4/5 for five furlongs, galloping out an extra furlong in 1:14 3/5 under regular exercise rider Lena Lorieul. “I was very impressed with the way he worked today,” Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey said. “I’m feeling more confident all the time. I thought his work today was exceptionally good. He’s progressing along very well up here.” Sunday’s work ranked 13th of 20 horses at the distance and was the fourth for Mr Speaker at Saratoga, all on dirt. It followed a five-furlong move in :59 3/5 seconds on August 2. Each of the last two have come in company.

“He went fast the last time,” McGaughey said. “Today I
wanted him to go in 1:01, and he went in 1:01 and a couple. I thought it was
good. He finished up good and galloped out really strong. I was pleased with
what I saw.”

Mr Speaker won the Grade 1 Belmont Derby
Invitational on July 5, run over the Belmont Park turf at the Travers’ 1 1/4-mile
distance. Mr Speaker also captured the Grade 3 Dania Beach on grass
at Gulfstream Park in December and the Grade 3 Lexington over Keeneland’s
Polytrack on April 19.

In his lone dirt start, Mr Speaker ran seventh in the Grade
2 Holy Bull on January 25. He will have one more breeze for McGaughey.

“We’ll see how he comes out of his work, see how he works
next weekend, and then I’ll make up my mind,” he said. “I’m not ready to commit
myself one way or the other, but I’m kind of getting excited.”

In other Travers news, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said things are progressing well with Charge Now,
who is likely to go in the August 23 contest. The bay
son of Tiznow turned in a :51 four-furlong breeze on Saturday over Saratoga’s
firm Oklahoma training
track in preparation of the race.

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