Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Tomcito Preparing for Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland April 19
Posted on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008
Jet Set Racing Stable’s Tomcito, preparing for Saturday’s $325,000 Coolmore Lexington (G2), one of the last prep races for the 2008 Kentucky Derby, worked three furlongs out of the gate in :34.60 and galloped out a half-mile in :46.80 with Manfreddy Guzman up Tuesday morning at Keeneland.
The gate drill was designed to get Tomcito into the race earlier, unlike the Florida Derby (G1) in which Tomcito raced at the rear of the 12-horse field, according to trainer Dante Zanelli.
“He had worked out of the gate before his Grade 1 win at a mile and a quarter in Peru,” Zanelli said. “He was close to the pace that day and he won by 10 (9 3/4 lengths).”
Tuesday’s work was the second for Tomcito in Kentucky since arriving after his third-place finish in the Florida Derby. Tomcito worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 at Churchill Downs on April 9 as Zanelli wanted to give the son of Street Cry (IRE) a drill over the track for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Tomcito has accumulated $151,292 in graded stakes earnings, a figure that would not be among the top 20 of horses being pointed to the Run for the Roses.
“I think even if he finishes third (in the Coolmore Lexington and earns $32,500), I will be all right,” Zanelli said. “I am not worried. I think I have the horse to beat. He is getting better and better and he is not even blowing (after the work).”
Horse Trainer Todd Pletcher Sends 2 In Coolmore Lexington Stakes
One week after he saddled the one-two finishers in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1), trainer Todd Pletcher will have a shot to do the same thing in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes.
On Wednesday, horse trainer Todd Pletcher plans to enter Atoned for owner Dogwood Stable and Behindatthebar for owners Padua Stable, Michael Shustek and W. Don Stanley in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes.
Yesterday, Dogwood’s Cot Campbell announced that Atoned’s performance in his work at Keeneland on Sunday indicates the colt’s “great affinity for the Polytrack surface, which causes us to want to run in the Coolmore Lexington.” In his last start, Atoned finished fourth in the Illinois Derby (G2). The Coolmore Lexington represents the colt’s first career start on a synthetic surface.
Behindatthebar already has proven his ability on a synthetic track with two wins and one second at Santa Anita Park, where he scored a four-length victory on April 3 in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race in his most recent start. At Bay Meadows on dirt, the colt finished sixth in the El Camino Real Derby (G3).
“He particularly liked the track at Santa Anita, so we’ll be interested to see how he handles this one,” horse trainer Todd Pletcher said about Keeneland’s Polytrack. “He’s trained well over it.”
www.keeneland.com
"Tomcito Preparing for Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland April 19" was posted on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 at 9:51 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Keeneland, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, Trainers, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Coolmore Lexington Stakes April 19 at Keeneland Draws 11