Cairo Prince had a leisurely breeze at Palm Meadows on New Year’s Eve in
preparation for his 2014 bow in the $400,000 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park on
January 25. Working in tandem with stablemate Antipathy, the gunmetal gray colt
was well within himself and had his ears pricked while being timed in :51 4/5
for a half-mile. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin was hoping for a slightly faster move
from the colt, but pointed out that Cairo Prince put up a :47 3/5 drill last
week.
“I was a little disappointed, he went too slow,” McLaughlin said. “He breezes
in company most of the time, but last week he went 47 and 2/5 and was out in a
minute. Maybe it was rider error or company error, but we have plenty of time to
catch up. We’ll put him with different company next week and probably back it up
to Sunday or Monday because he went so slow.
“He’s fine and we have time to correct it,” McLaughlin added. “He usually
does work pretty well, but he’s the type that if you don’t put him in company,
he’ll go in 53 or 46. So if he goes in company, they usually get it right. It
was unfortunate, but it’s no big deal. He’s a sound and happy horse.”
Cairo Prince captured the Nashua at Aqueduct in his second start on November
3, but, after looking like the winner at the stretch call of the Remsen four
weeks later, wound up second by a nose to the resurgent Honor Code.
“I’d rather not think about it,” McLaughlin quipped. “But the facts are that
we gave the winner six pounds, and the jock (Luis Saez) just rode him
overconfidently. He had his stick down and went by him and thought he had it
won. It was unfortunate, but as of now, Saez will ride him in the Holy Bull.”
Mr Speaker, who made a sharp run up the rail to land the Dania Beach on the
Gulfstream grass December 21, will likely get a chance to test the main track
next time in the Holy Bull, according to trainer Shug McGaughey.
“He came out of the race really well,” McGaughey said. “I’m going to work him
from the pole at Payson on the dirt. I’d like to take (jockey Jose) Lezcano up
there and work him in behind a horse to see how he handles the dirt in his face.
If he handles it and breezes well, I’d like to take a shot at the Holy Bull. The
timing is good, and we know he can run on the grass. He’s always trained fine on
the dirt, so I would think that we’d be okay.”
A homebred for the Phipps Stable, Mr Speaker is a son of Pulpit. His dam
Salute, a royally bred daughter of Unbridled and Personal Ensign, hit the board
in both the Demoiselle and Tempted on the dirt as a juvenile.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com