Multiplier, Senior Investment Turn in Preakness Works

Illinois Derby (G3) winner Multiplier and Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) winner Senior Investment both turned in their final works at Keeneland May 14 for the Preakness Stakes (G1). 

American Equistock's Multiplier, with trainer Brendan Walsh up, was the first on the track at 8:30 a.m. He worked in company with maiden 3-year-old colt War Union. 

After a brief warmup, Multiplier and War Union began their five-furlong move together. With slight asking from Walsh, Multiplier moved ahead of his workmate in the final furlong, completed the five furlongs in 1:02, and galloped out to six furlongs in 1:14 3/5. Clockers caught the son of The Factor   in splits of :12 2/5, :24, :36 1/5, and :48 2/5.

"I thought he felt great. For him, that's actually a very good work. He'll only do what he's asked," Walsh said. "He's very laid back. He worked nice and even the whole way, and it's probably the best he's ever worked. That's a very good work for him, although visually it's not spectacular."

Walsh said the colt will begin his journey early May 16 by van to Pimlico Race Course for the May 20 second leg of the Triple Crown. The trainer plans to walk him May 17 and then let him stretch his legs on the track May 18-19. 

Pleased with the move Sunday, Walsh said his easygoing charge is ready for the next challenge and his training strategy going into the Preakness won't change. 

"Any bit of extra ground will help him," he said of the Preakness distance of 1 3/16 miles. "He handled the 1 1/8 miles at Hawthorne really well. He's the kind of horse you could bring him to the moon and he'd handle it. 

"We've got to ride him to suit him rather than (ride to) suit the race. You just have to be positive with him and put him in the race as best you can early on. As the race unfolds, he'll gradually get rolling. His best work is always at the finish."

Multiplier hit the board in his first two starts before he broke his maiden by 1 3/4 lengths in his third try, all at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. In the Illinois Derby, he raced off the pace and rallied in the stretch to overcome favored Hedge Fund by a neck at the wire.

Bred in Kentucky by Mark Stansell, Walter Bloodstock purchased the colt as a weanling for  $62,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale, but he went unsold in two subsequent sales as a yearling and 2-year-old.

A few minutes after Multiplier's work, Fern Circle Stables' Senior Investment, with jockey Channing Hill up, hit the track for trainer Kenny McPeek. After a jogging warmup, Hill joined Senior Investment with Some in Tieme, a 5-year-old Brazilian-bred who won the 2016 Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano (G1). 

The duo started off slow in their five-furlong move, and clocked splits of :13 and :25 2/5 through the first quarter-mile. Hill kept Senior Investment traveling in the four-path to the outside of Some in Tieme, and the Discreetly Mine colt easily left his workmate behind in the last furlong as he completed the five-eighths in 1:02 and galloped out to six furlongs in 1:14. 

"It was just a maintenance work. Good gallop out," McPeek said. 

Plans call for the colt to fly to Baltimore May 15.

"He went off good. Everything was super solid. Nice and normal—just an everyday move. He came home good," said Hill, who was aboard for the Lexington win and a sixth-place finish in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2).

"He's just such a cool guy. His mentality gets him a long way. He's just so calm and relaxed. He does anything you ask him to, and he loves running by horses," he added. "He was great getting to the quarter pole. Once we lost our company, he stayed on business, but I think he prefers chasing someone down. We're going into this race good and hopefully we can upset some people."

Bred by Dixiana Farms, Senior Investment was a $95,000 purchase by McPeek at the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale. He has three wins from eight starts, with earnings of $207,080.