Frosted, Keen Ice Drill Toward Belmont
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While four of the top five finishers from the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) await the May 16 Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico Race Course, a pair of also-rans from the Run for the Roses drilled for possible starts in the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I). In New York, Godolphin Racing's Frosted worked at Belmont Park, while Donegal Racing's Keen Ice put in his move at Churchill Downs.
Frosted, winner of the TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I) and fourth in the Derby, fired a bullet half-mile in :47 3/5, the fastest of 31 on the day.
"He worked great," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said from New York. "We just wanted a regular half-mile and that's him. He's always been a good worker. He'll work in :48 or 1:00 (for five furlongs) most of the time. That's why he goes out by himself."
Frosted, a son of Tapit —Fast Cookie, by Deputy Minister, bred by Darley, will work the next two Fridays, weather permitting, to gear up for a run at the "Test of the Champion" at Belmont. McLaughlin, 54, won the Belmont in 2006 with Jazil.
At Churchill, Keen Ice went five furlongs in 1:01 4/5, the 12th fastest of 20 on the work tab.
Keen Ice, a son of Curlin out of the Awesome Again mare Medomak, rallied from 17th to finish seventh in the Kentucky Derby. He went the same trip in 1:013 /5 April 25 in his final move before the Derby.
Trained by Dale Romans, Keen Ice has one win and two thirds from eight starts and has earned $160,395. He has placed in the Risen Star Stakes (gr. II) and Remsen Stakes (gr. II). Bred in Kentucky by Glencrest Farm, Keen Ice was a $48,000 Keeneland November sale weanling in 2012 and a $120,000 Keeneland September sale yearling the following year.