Kimari to Skip Honorable Miss

Trainer Wesley Ward reported July 23 that he will skip the July 28 Honorable Miss Stakes (G2) with Ten Broeck Farm's Kimari , who has not run since capturing the Madison Stakes (G1) April 3 at Keeneland.

While nothing is physically amiss with the 4-year-old daughter of Munnings  , Ward said she wasn't showing the energy she previously had shown during morning training.

"She's doing well, just not quite as good as she was previously, so I thought we should err on the side of caution," Ward said. "We did some X-rays and according to Dr. (Luis) Castro, she was perfect. But visually, she wasn't quite kicking the same way she had. We gave her a break because she ran such a big race at Keeneland. When I lead her over there, I would want her to be 100%."

Also on Friday morning, Ward breezed graded stakes winner Bound for Nowhere  a bullet five furlongs in :59.40 with stablemate Wink  over the turf course at the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Race Course. Owned by Ward, the 7-year-old son of The Factor is targeting the Aug. 6 Troy Presented by Horse Racing Ireland (G3T).

"I was excited. I hadn't seen him work like that in quite some time," Ward said. "He was just pricking his ears the last sixteenth with lots of speed to spare. He was bouncing coming off of the track."

Ward said he was unsure as to a next start for Stonestreet Stables' Wink, who captured Gulfstream Park's Melody of Colors Stakes in February ahead of a ninth place finish in the Mamzelle at Churchill Downs.

"There are lots of turf sprints around, so we'll be picking something out shortly," Ward said. "She worked well. She needs a very firm course and with all that give in the ground, she wasn't as effective. When it's fast and firm she skips right along."

Other notable horses pointed towards graded stakes at the Spa on the Friday morning work tab as well, including the 2020 champion sprinter Whitmore  and Ohio Derby (G3) winner Masqueparade .

The 8-year-old gelding registered his final serious breeze in preparation for the July 31 $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1). Whitmore clocked a half-mile in :48 4/5 over the main track, 12 days after traveling the same distance in a swift 47 1/5.

Whitmore was second in last year's Vanderbilt to Volatile  .

FTGGG Racing's July 31 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) contender Masqueparade breezed a half-mile in :47 3/5 in company over the main track.

"We're happy with the breeze. He's right on track," said trainer Al Stall Jr. "We'll give him a chance to see how far he can take his talent. We were patient getting to where we got to with him. He's got a good foundation underneath him. He's a laidback horse and real good about everything. He's very easy on himself."

Sent to post as the mutuel favorite in the nine-furlong Ohio Derby June 26 at Thistledown, Masqueparade posted a half-length score over King Fury , who was a nose better than third-place Keepmeinmind .

The top-three Ohio Derby finishers are all expected to start in the Jim Dandy, a field led by Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) victor Essential Quality .