Havana in First Work Since Breeders' Cup

Grade I winner Havana returned to the work tab for the first time since his runner-up finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) with a three-furlong breeze at Palm Meadows Training Center Feb. 1.



Winner of the Foxwoods Champagne Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park in his second career start, Havana was timed in :37.75 with regular exercise rider Ezequiel Perez aboard.



"I thought he worked really well and looked good," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "His fitness level was probably a little ahead of where I expected him to be. He went out very nicely, so we were pleased with that."

 

Owned by Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier, the 3-year-old son of Dunkirk   has won two of three career starts.



"We just wanted to get him back on the work tab and get him back into a routine," Pletcher said. "He was actually scheduled to work a couple days before but we had all that rain so we had to wait. We're just trying to get him back on schedule and thought we made up quite a bit of ground today. He was more fit than I figured he would be."

 

Unable to make the $400,000 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) on Feb. 22 with the missed time, Havana  is pointing to the $150,000 Swale Stakes (gr. II) at seven furlongs on March 1.



"We are right now on schedule for the Swale," Pletcher said.