Vino Rosso Tunes Up for Jim Dandy

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent graded stakes winner Vino Rosso out for his final work in preparation for the $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) coming up July 28, and the son of Curlin  covered four furlongs in company over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma training track the morning of July 21.

Vino Rosso, fourth to Justify in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) last time out, worked with 2017 Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit, going the first quarter-mile in :25 and completing the half-mile in :48.50. NYRA clockers caught the pair galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.

Saturday's breeze was Vino Rosso's second since moving to Saratoga from Pletcher's barn at Belmont Park and third overall since the June 9 Belmont Stakes.

"We're just looking to sharpen him up a little bit," said Pletcher. "He's coming off a mile-and-a-half race. We just wanted see how he was doing, see what his enthusiasm level and energy level look like, and I thought both were very good. It was a good breeze for him with a Belmont winner. I was happy with him."

Owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, Vino Rosso will be cutting back to the Jim Dandy's 1 1/8-mile distance for the first time since posting a three-length victory in the Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets (G2) in April. That win secured his spot in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs, where he finished ninth.

"I think the Wood Memorial is still his best win, so he's shown he can be effective at a mile and an eighth," Pletcher said. "In the Belmont, (jockey) Johnny (Velazquez) said at the half-mile pole, he had to make a decision and put some pressure on Justify and moved sooner than he wanted to, which might've cost him a position."

Tapwrit, in his first breeze since finishing fifth in the July 7 Suburban Stakes (G2), is expected to make his third start of the year in the 1 1/8-mile Whitney Stakes (G1) Aug. 4 at the Spa.

"I was looking for a similar work from both horses—just wanted to get a line on where they are—and I thought they'd make good companions," Pletcher said of the pairing. "In both horses' cases, they're backing up (in distance), one from a mile and a half to a mile and an eighth, and the other from a mile and a quarter to a mile and an eighth. I kind of wanted a little bit of a sharp half-mile breeze from both of them. I wasn't concerned about fitness or stamina with either one, just sharpen them up a little bit."

Pletcher added that grade 1 winner Unbridled Mo came out of her fifth-place finish in the Delaware Handicap (G2) in good order and will remain at Belmont for the time being, adding that a possible rematch with impressive Delaware 'Cap winner Elate in the $700,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) Aug. 25 has not been ruled out.

"We'll give her a couple weeks to decide what we're going to do," he said. "I suppose she's some form of possible for the Personal Ensign."

Also on Saturday's worktab at Saratoga was Belmont Stakes runner-up Gronkowski, who is preparing for a possible start in the Aug. 25 Travers Stakes (G1). The Chad Brown-trained colt logged his first breeze in a month with a half-mile work in :48.33. The 3-year-old son of Lonhro made his first start for Brown in the final leg of the Triple Crown, where he closed late to finish 1 3/4 lengths behind Justify.

Following the Belmont, Gronkowski returned to the worktab June 23 with a :49.24 half-mile breeze before he was sidelined by a minor issue, Brown said.

Owned by Phoenix Thoroughbreds and previously trained by Jeremy Noseda, Gronkowski had raced exclusively in Europe, where he earned a spot in the Kentucky Derby after capturing the 32red Burradon Stakes at Newcastle March 30. But he was forced to skip the classic because of an illness before being transferred to Brown.

Brown also reported that grade 1 winner Rushing Fall is possible to start in the $300,000 Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) Aug. 18 after having to miss the July 20 Lake George Stakes (G3T) with an illness.

"Rushing Fall is doing good," Brown said. "She's not back to the track yet. We're continuing to watch her bloodwork, but she's going in the right direction, and we're hoping to get her back under tack in a couple days and possibly trying to get her to the Lake Placid."

At Del Mar, Gary Broad's Core Beliefs put in his last work before heading to the East Coast, breezing five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 on the main track Saturday morning. Trainer Peter Eurton said he was encouraged by the work as he mulls whether to run the Quality Road  colt in the Jim Dandy or possibly the July 29 Betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park.

"I'm not 100% sure the Jim Dandy is the final destiny. It could be the Haskell," Eurton said. "We'll make our mind up probably next week."

After running third in the April 7 Santa Anita Derby (G1), Core Beliefs finished second to Blended Citizen in the May 12 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) and most recently edged Lone Sailor to win the June 23 Ohio Derby (G3) at Thistledown.

"His physicality has been about the same; he's just learning how to run," Eurton said. "I think he was a little green when he went to New York. He's just picking things up as he goes. He's a lightly raced horse, but he's very competitive and he's doing things much easier these days."