Dennis' Moment and Mr Freeze Work at Gulfstream

Dennis' Moment, one of the early favorites for the 2020 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), recorded his first breeze since he stumbled at the start and finished last in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park, covering an easy half-mile Jan. 11 in :50.89 at Gulfstream Park.

Based in Florida this winter, the 3-year-old Tiznow  colt is being pointed toward the Feb. 29 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream for his season debut.

Dennis' Moment, trained by Dale Romans and owned by Albaugh Family Stables, was given a short freshening after the Breeders' Cup at WinStar Farm in Kentucky before returning to Romans' barn in Florida. Tammy Fox was aboard for Saturday's return to the work tab. 

"It's been a long haul since the Breeders' Cup, but it's a new year and we're excited to get him back up and running," Albaugh's Jason Loutsch said. "It was a nice, easy work back today, which was what we wanted. We wanted to slow him down a little, and Tammy did a great job. So it's mission accomplished, forward we go. As long as he continues to progress, we'll get a couple more good works into him before the Fountain of Youth, and he should be good. He really didn't lose much conditioning over the winter."

Before his troubled run in the Nov. 1 Juvenile, in which he went to his knees at the break and failed to threaten, Dennis' Moment won a pair of starts in Kentucky, including the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs in a stakes-record time of 1:43.58. That victory followed a 19 1/4-length maiden romp July 27 at Ellis Park in his second race.

Dennis' Moment was the 12-1 second favorite among individual betting interests in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, a pari-mutuel pool offered by Churchill Downs that closed Dec. 1. Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Tiz the Law was narrowly favored at 11-1 among individual interests.

The colt is the first starter out of the winning Elusive Quality mare Transplendid, who was sold for $1.4 million to Sugar Valley Farm during The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's breeding stock sale in Lexington, where she was consigned by Ballysax Bloodstock. Dennis' Moment was a $400,000 purchase by Barry Berkelhammer on behalf of his owner at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., from the same consignor.

Also on the work tab Saturday for Romans was grade 3 winner Mr Freeze, who is pointing toward a start in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1). Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's 5-year-old son of To Honor and Serve went an easy five furlongs in 1:03.92. He comes off a third in the Nov. 29 Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) at Churchill Downs and has been working steadily in Florida since, including a strong five-furlong move Jan. 4 in 1:00.38.

Two contenders for the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T) worked Saturday in Florida as well. OXO Equine's Instilled Regard turned in a five-furlong move on the Palm Meadows lawn in 1:02.45 for trainer Chad Brown, and Blue Heaven Farm's Starship Jubilee went four furlongs in :47.58 on the dirt at Gulfstream for trainer Kevin Attard.

Across the country, Hronis Racing's grade 1 winner Higher Power tuned up for the Pegasus World Cup with a six-furlong drill in 1:12 3/5 for trainer John Sadler at Santa Anita Park. The move was the fastest of nine at the distance. The son of Medaglia d'Oro  is coming off a third in the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

Also in California, grade 1 winners and Pegasus Turf Cup invitees Next Shares and Mo Forza breezed Saturday at San Luis Rey Training Center. The former went five furlongs in 1:00, the latter a half-mile in :48 4/5.