QUALITY ROAD (Elusive Quality), the Florida Derby (G1) victor who was a
record-setting winner of the Amsterdam S. (G2) at Saratoga on August 3, will put
in his final work for Saturday’s $1 million Travers S. (G1) on Monday morning.
Originally scheduled for Sunday at 8:45 a.m. (EDT), trainer Todd Pletcher
said he postponed the work because of overnight rains that turned the track
sloppy. Quality Road is now scheduled to take to the main track Monday at 8:45
a.m.
Fellow Travers hopeful HOLD ME BACK (Giant’s Causeway) also had his work
moved to Monday, though the time is uncertain.
“I was hoping to work him today, but I’ll have to wait until tomorrow,” Hall
of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “(What time) depends how the track is tomorrow
morning. It might be good early, but if it doesn’t rain, it may be better
later.”
Trainer Ian Wilkes was not bothered by the slop Sunday morning and sent
WARRIOR’S REWARD (Medaglia d’Oro) out for a five-furlong work over the main
track with jockey Calvin Borel in the irons.
Warrior’s Reward, runner-up in the Jim Dandy S. (G2) on August 1, covered the
distance in 1:00 4/5.
“I’ve been watching him and I thought he needed the workout today,” Wilkes
said. “If I waited another day, who knows what the track (condition) would be
tomorrow. He had no problems in handling the track. Even though he’s a big
horse, he always handles the track well.”
Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito had OUR EDGE (The Cliff’s Edge) walk the shed
row Sunday morning following a bullet five-furlong work Saturday (:59 2/5), the
best of eight at the distance over the Oklahoma training track. That workout
followed a bullet four furlongs in :46 3/5 over Oklahoma last week.
Our Edge will be tested for class while coming into the Travers with a
three-race win streak, including his most recent seven-length victory in the
Barbaro S. (G3) at Delaware Park.
“This is kind of a roll of the dice,” Zito said. “I think the main thing is
that this is a step up, but the horse is working great and he’s coming off three
wins in a row. All of these horses are very good. We’re going to try running in
the big race.”
The Steve Asmussen-trained duo of KENSEI (Mr. Greeley) and RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia
d’Oro), both nominated to the Travers, are scheduled to work Monday morning at
their usual times of 5:30 and 5:50 a.m., respectively.
No next start has been specified for either horse. In addition to the
Travers, Kensei is also nominated to the King’s Bishop S. (G1) on the same day,
while Rachel Alexandra has been nominated to next Sunday’s Personal Ensign S.
(G1) as well as the Woodward S. (G1) on September 5.
Both Kensei and Rachel Alexandra have also been nominated to the September 7
Pennsylvania Derby (G2).
On Tuesday morning, Kentucky Derby winner MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone) is
scheduled to have his final workout for the “Mid-Summer Derby” at 8:45 a.m. on
the main track. The gelding has been galloping regularly for the last three days
following the completion of a minor surgical procedure to repair an entrapped
epiglottis this past Tuesday.