Firing Line Returns to Track at Santa Anita
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Arnold Zetcher's Firing Line was out on the track May 23 at Santa Anita Park for his first gallop since a troubled run in the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
The son of Line of David jogged a mile Saturday at his Southern California base, and trainer Simon Callaghan was happy with his return to action.
"He had good energy and jogged really level," Callaghan said. "He's had six days (of) walking and this is his first day on the track, so we like what we're seeing."
The trainer also said Firing Line didn't show many signs of fatigue after running the first two legs of the Triple Crown and attributed that to the ride of Gary Stevens in the May 16 Preakness, in which the colt stumbled at the start and was eased in the stretch by the Hall of Fame jockey.
"He didn't really have a hard race," Callaghan said. "He stumbled and then he really didn't have a race. Gary knew the stumble and the (wet) track—he knew things weren't going to happen, and that's the good thing about Gary. He knew it wasn't going to be his day and he looked after him. He knows there's another day."
Callaghan said he'll consider the $350,000 Los Alamitos Derby (gr. II) July 4 for the colt's next start, with plenty of options going forward after that.
"That's good timing and then we might look at a couple stakes on the East Coast—Haskell (gr. I), Travers (gr. I), those kinds of races," Callaghan said. "I wouldn't rule out the Pacific Classic (gr. I), either."
A notable timed workout on the Santa Anita dirt track was Fox Hill Farms' Kentuckian, runaway winner of Lazaro Barrera Stakes (gr. III) May 10.
BALAN: Kentuckian Romps in Lazaro Barrera Victory
The son of Tiznow trained by Jerry Hollendorfer drilled a bullet :46 for four furlongs, the fastest move of 34 at that distance May 23. It was his first workout since the Lazaro Barrera.
"He's doing good," said Hollendorfer, who earlier indicated the 3-year-old colt could make his next appearance in the 1 1/16-mile $100,000 Affirmed Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita June 7.
Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Texas Red also made an appearance on the Santa Anita work tab, breezing four furlongs in :49 4/5. It was the Afleet Alex colt's second workout in five days. He also drilled May 19, covering three furlongs in :38 2/5 for trainer Keith Desormeaux.
Grade I winner Warren's Veneda was another in training Saturday morning, drilling five furlongs in :59 flat for trainer Craig Lewis. The 5-year-old mare by Affirmative, who last won in the Santa Margarita Stakes (gr. I) March 14, recorded her first timed workout since a third-place finish in the Vanity Stakes (gr. I) May 9. The time was third-best of 34 works at five furlongs.