Barn Notes for May 10: The Factor Works Five Furlongs

May 25, 2011 Gary Yunt

THE FACTOR WORKS FIVE FURLONGS IN 1:00 UNDER BRIDGMOHAN – Fog City Stable and George Bolton’s The Factor, working for the second time since undergoing a throat procedure known as a myectomy following a seven-place finish in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (Grade 1), worked five furlongs before the renovation break in 1:00 over a fast track.

Working on his own and with Shaun Bridgmohan up, The Factor clicked off fractions of :12.80, :25, :36.80, :48.40 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13, seven-eighths in 1:26 3/5 and pulled up a mile in 1:41.60. The five-furlong time was the third fastest of 13 at the distance on Tuesday.

“Shaun gallops with a watch and I talked to (trainer) Bob (Baffert) about it yesterday and we didn’t want to go in :57 and change. That’s the last thing you’d want,” said Peter Hutton, Baffert’s assistant at Churchill Downs. “We wanted to go a minute with a good gallop out and that’s exactly what he did. It was perfect.”

Bridgmohan jogged The Factor once around to the three-quarter pole before turning and getting into the work.

“He is a little tricky to get to the pole,” Hutton said. “He tries to trick you when you gallop him. He tries to out-think you.”

Meanwhile, Arnold Zetcher’s Midnight Interlude, 16^th in the Kentucky Derby, walked the shedrow and is scheduled to return to the track to gallop on Wednesday morning.

PRIME CUT DRILLS FOR PETER PAN; WILL BYPASS PREAKNESS – Courtlandt Farms’ Prime Cut worked five furlongs in company in 1:01.20 with Dane Noel up for trainer Neil Howard.

Runner-up to Derby Kitten in the Coolmore Lexington (GIII) in his most recent start, Prime Cut had been expected to work later in the week for a possible Preakness bid.

“Change of plans,” Howard said. “We are going to New York for the Peter Pan (GII) on Saturday. The Preakness has a big field with a lot of speed and the top horses from the Derby look tough coming right back and I don’t know if he is ready for something like that.”

Working in company with World Champ, Prime Cut began three lengths back of his workmate and posted fractions of :13.20, :26, :38, :49.60 and finished on even terms in 1:01.20 for the fourth fastest move of 13 at the distance on Tuesday. Prime Cut galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 and seven-eighths in 1:28.20.

“I don’t know if we could get in (the Preakness because of only $40,000 in graded stakes earnings),” Howard said. “They are only expecting 10 (for the Peter Pan), so we can ship and know we’ll run. If he runs in one of the (Triple Crown) races, we feel the Belmont would be the best for him.”

            BARN TALK — Team Valor International’s Animal Kingdom left Barn 22 at 5:15 a.m. Tuesday for the van ride to Fair Hill training center in Elkton, Md. Joining the winner of the 137^th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) on the ride were Summer Soiree, who was 10^th in the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (GI), and a pony.

            Animal Kingdom is being pointed to the Preakness where he most likely will face several horses he left in his wake that are still at Churchill Downs. Considered as probable for the second leg of the Triple Crown are Robert LaPenta’s Dialed In (eighth as the favorite) and Michael Lauffer and W.D. Cubbedge’s Shackleford (fourth), both of whom walked the shedrow Tuesday and expected to return to the track Wednesday. Considered as possible are Derby runner-up Nehro, owned by Zayat Stables, and sixth-place finisher Santiva, owned by Tom Walters, both of whom walked Tuesday.

            Two other Preakness probables on the grounds, The Estate of Edward P. Evans’ Dance City and Batman Stable, Philip Lebherz, Cindy Olsen, Janet Sharp and Glen Wallace et al’s Sway Away each jogged a mile before the renovation break. Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton’s Astrology, the winner of Churchill Downs’ Iroquois (GIII) who had worked six furlongs in 1:12.40 over a fast track on Monday morning, walked the shedrow.

 

            WORK TAB – Donegal Racing’s Paddy O’Prado, third in last year’s Kentucky Derby, worked five furlongs on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:01. Trained by Dale Romans, Paddy O’Prado has not raced since finishing fifth to Blame in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) in November. Paddy O’Prado is a four-time graded stakes winner on turf.