Moreno, War Dancer post works for Travers

Southern Equine Stable's Moreno flashed his speed in a Saturday workout at

Saratoga, zipping five furlongs in 59 3/5  seconds over the main track in

preparation for the $1 million Travers on August 24.

Gate-to-wire winner of the Dwyer on July 6 at Belmont Park and a game third

to Palace Malice and Will Take Charge in the Jim Dandy on July 27 at the Spa,

Moreno went an opening quarter-mile in :24 1/5, three-eighths in :35 and

galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 1/5.

"He traveled really good for the Travers," trainer Eric Guillot said. "I

chose today (to work Moreno) because you know how he's a looky-loo; he's got the

earplugs and the blinkers. I figured with the Alabama (being run today), the

apron would be full of people, and sure enough I was right. Last Sunday, when I

worked him (1:12 flat for six furlongs) he was more focused on the rider. Today,

he's got his ears pricked and he's looking around at people eating Dunkin'

Donuts."

In the Jim Dandy, Moreno sailed through an opening half-mile in 47 2/5 and

six furlongs in 1:11 before a stalking Palace Malice overtook him. With speedy

Haskell Invitational winner Verrazano also in the Travers lineup -- providing

trainer Todd Pletcher an imposing, double-barreled entry -- Guillot believes

moderate internal fractions will be critical for Moreno to have a chance to win

at 1 1/4 miles.

"It's going to all be about the inner fractions," Guillot said. "Inner

fractions make races. If you're any kind of handicapper, you should know that.

"I would imagine Todd wouldn't be pressing his own horse with Palace Malice

and Verrazano together; that wouldn't make much sense. So, somebody's going to

push me, and, hopefully, they push me so far up front, or push me to the point

where the other one can't catch up. That would be the best-case scenario."

Guillot also sent out Salutos Amigos, bound for the Grade 1 King's Bishop on

the Travers undercard, for a five-furlong work in 1:02 2/5.

In the Amsterdam on July 28, the son of Salute the Sarge raced close behind a

fast pace, briefly dropped back and then came charging along the rail to finish

third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by winner Forty Tales.

Guillot said the three-year-old colt has overcome nagging foot issues, and he

expects a big run in the seven-furlong King's Bishop.

"When I bought the horse and put him on the shelf, he had real spongy, real

crumbly, a real bad horny wall on him," Guillot said of Salutos Amigos' feet.

"You couldn't put in any nails; you had to kind of glue -- put a nail, glue, put

a nail, glue. It would take two hours...to put a shoe job on him.

"I knew it would take six months to grow out. They've grown out. I don't have

any more glue on the horse. The day after I shoe him, he goes like a champ. I

don't have to keep him on any kind of medication to keep his feet right. The

horse went from shuffling like he was on egg shells to striding out like a good

horse."

War Dancer pleased trainer Ken McPeek and regular rider Alan Garcia when

recording his final Travers breeze on the Oklahoma training track Saturday.

Garcia, who has been aboard for six of the colt's seven career starts, guided

the son of War Front through a five-furlong work in 1:02 1/5.

"He went great; better than ever," Garcia said. "He was moving sweet. I'm

looking forward to the Travers. The way I'm feeling the last two times I breezed

this horse, he couldn't be better."

Owned by Magdelena Racing, War Dancer worked in company with maiden winner So

Raise Yourglass, who posted the same final time.

"It was a nice work," McPeek said. "He did it well. Alan seemed to think that

he could have left the other horse earlier in the breeze. It looks like it sets

up pretty nice for us. War Dancer does everything you ask him to do, whenever

you ask him to do it. He's drilling the feed tub, and that's what he's got to do

going into this."

All but one of War Dancer's races have come on turf, including a gutsy head

victory in the Grade 2 Virginia Derby on July 13 in his most recent start. He

was fourth in his lone dirt try in February at Gulfstream Park, a race in which

each of the top three finishers -- Saint Vigeur, Wabbajack and Freedom Child --

came back to win their next start.

"We think he'll handle the dirt fine; we just haven't given him much of an

opportunity on it other than the one race in Florida," McPeek said. "He's made

the mile and a quarter already in the Virginia Derby, and that was a very heavy

turf course."

McPeek recently moved War Dancer into stall 1, the same one occupied by

Golden Ticket last summer prior to his dead-heat victory with Alpha in the

Travers.

"Same groom, too," the conditioner said. "Same exercise rider. What works,

you stick to it."

Also working for McPeek on Saturday was Arkansas Derby runner-up Frac Daddy,

who went five furlongs in 1:02 4/5 at Oklahoma. Sixteenth in the Kentucky Derby,

Frac Daddy has not run since finishing 14th in the Belmont Stakes on June 8.

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