Firing Line, Masochistic Aim for Del Mar

Two of Southern California's standout horses of 2015 took early steps toward their season debuts May 10 at Santa Anita Park, and both figure to return to racing sometime over the summer at Del Mar.

Arnold Zetcher's Firing Line, who hasn't raced in nearly a year after runs in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Preakness (gr. I), and Los Pollos Hermanos Racing and Jay Em Ess Stables' grade I winner Masochistic, both recorded their first timed breezes of 2016 Tuesday.

Firing Line, the 4-year-old Line of David   colt who gave American Pharoah   his toughest battle of the Triple Crown en route to a runner-up finish in the Derby, covered three furlongs in :37 1/5. Masochistic, last year's Triple Bend (gr. I) winner, ran the same distance in the same time.

BALAN: Masochistic Easy Winner of Triple Bend

Both are coming off injuries from 2015. For Firing Line, the time off stems from surgery to remove ankle chips in both of his front legs, but he also popped a splint earlier in the year to delay his training a bit.

"We've been patient and given him all the time, and the first work was exactly what we wanted—nice and in-hand," trainer Simon Callaghan said. "The initial time off was for the surgery that we gave him. They were small chips, but you have to give them time, and the races we were pointing for were over the summer—races at Del Mar—and obviously the Breeders' Cup at the end of the year."

Callaghan said the Sunland Derby (gr. III) winner will likely get a prep at Del Mar before trying the Pacific Classic (gr. I), but he's also open to adjusting. Nearing the end of the year, the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) is the main target.

BALAN: Firing Line Crushes Field in Sunland Derby

"There are lots of options," the trainer said.

For Masochistic, the time off was to recover from a fractured hind cannon, which trainer Ron Ellis thinks occurred during his 14th-place run in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Keeneland.

In his first work, the 6-year-old Sought After gelding was aided a bit by a slight dose of tranquilizer. Masochistic has a tendency to speed through his works, so Ellis wanted to make sure he didn't go too fast, too soon.

"If I didn't have him a little tranquilized, he'd be a little tough, because he still has that determination to get going," Ellis said. "I just didn't want him to go to fast too soon and pull a ligament or a muscle. He'll go out there and think he's going to do (five furlongs in) :58 and change."

For his likely return, Ellis said Masochistic will probably wind up in the Bing Crosby (gr. I) at Del Mar, a race he ran second in last year. If everything goes perfectly, however, Ellis said the Thor's Echo Handicap for California-breds July 4 at Santa Anita could be a good landing spot for the gelding's 2016 debut. The trainer has also expressed a desire to stretch the sprinter out to a one-turn mile, an option not available in Southern California, so a try in the Kelso Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park leading into the Breeders' Cup is also a potential target.

"I want to go a mile and get him stretched out, because I think he's a better miler than he is three-quarters," Ellis said.

Also of note on the Southern California scene is Taris, another standout from the Callaghan barn. The 5-year-old Flatter   mare got her first grade I last time out May 7 Humana Distaff (gr. I) at Churchill Downs and Callaghan said the upcoming Vanity (gr. I) June 4 could be next, where she could face champions Beholder and Stellar Wind. Callaghan said he'll also nominate Taris to the June 11 Ogden Phipps (gr. I) at Belmont, but is leaning toward the Vanity.

"Probably the Vanity and then we'll shorten her back up to seven (furlongs) for the Ballerina (gr. I) at Saratoga," Callaghan said. "(The Vanity) is a grade I, so you expect a tough field. Our filly is doing great. Beholder—we know how good she is. She's a champion."