Half Hollow Stables' My Mitole breezed five furlongs in 1:02.55 March 22 over the Belmont Park dirt training track toward a probable next start in the $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2), a 1 1/8-mile test for sophomores at Aqueduct Racetrack April 5.
Trainer Carlos Martin equipped the Mitole chestnut with blinkers for the move after a last-out fourth under Luis Rivera Jr. in the March 1 Gotham Stakes (G3). My Mitole picked up 10 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points in the 6 1/2-length defeat to Flood Zone, and he now continues on the Derby trail in the Wood, which awards 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points to the top-five finishers.
"He looked good. He went five-eighths in 1:02 and two but he came home good and looked good. He was sound, happy, Luis Rivera Jr. worked him. We put a little three-quarter blinker with holes on him, just to get him to focus a little bit," said Martin. "At the end of the day, he was caught wide in the Gotham, made a couple moves, but I just wanted to see him in the blinkers. I liked what I saw and the way he finished up.
"It is a little bit of a leap of faith to put blinkers on in the biggest race of his career, but I'm kind of leaning towards trying a little equipment change with him," Martin continued.
My Mitole contested the one-turn mile Gotham on two weeks rest, while also stepping up in class from a starter optional claiming victory at the same track and distance Feb. 14. In the Gotham, he brushed the side of his stall exiting the outermost post nine but recovered to stalk in fourth, maintaining that position to the wire in the quickly-run race.
"I think there is something to be said for running in your own backyard. Coming back in two weeks was a little bit aggressive, but now I have time to prepare for the Wood," Martin said. "He came from post nine, (Rivera Jr.) had to use him a little more to get position. I don't know if we would've threatened the winner, but I think we could've been second with a better trip."
Martin said adding blinkers could help My Mitole late as he stretches out to nine furlongs.
"Sometimes people think it's counterintuitive because blinkers get horses keyed up, but I think it could be the opposite in his case, he seems to be chilling out," said Martin. "He's always been kind of quirky switching leads, and he switched leads the last two mornings. He went 1:01 and change the Saturday before, 1:02 but the gallop-out was great yesterday.
"Now one more breeze and we will be there. He looks like he put on weight. So that is my plan to give him another good work on Saturday and hopefully be in the Wood," Martin added.
Sand Devil Continues Wood Memorial Preparations
Chester Broman, Sr.'s New York homebred Sand Devil breezed six furlongs in 1:13.84 March 23 over the Belmont Park dirt training track as he prepares for the Wood Memorial. He earned 25 qualifying points for his last-out second to Flood Zone in the Gotham.
Trained by Linda Rice, the Violence chestnut, working in company with Uncle Jim, was completing his second breeze back since the Gotham. He covered a half-mile in :49 March 15.
"It went very well," said Rice. "He was 1:00 and four, 1:13 and three, and he went very nicely."
Sand Devil entered the Gotham 3-for-3 against state-breds at the Big A, beginning with a debut graduation Dec. 8 sprinting six furlongs. He then scored by 12 1/2 lengths in a one-turn mile optional claimer Jan. 2 and captured the seven-furlong Damon Runyon Stakes Feb. 8.
Of the longer breeze this week, Rice said, "We are going one mile and an eighth in the Wood, so I just wanted to stretch him out a little bit. It was a good work."
Omaha Omaha possible for Wood Memorial
On Your Left Racing's Virginia homebred Omaha Omaha is possible to return to New York for the Wood Memorial.
Trained by Michael Gorham, the Audible bay hit the board in a pair of Kentucky Derby preps at the Big A when closing to finish second in the one-turn mile Jerome Stakes in January and third in the 1 1/8-mile Withers Stakes in February.
Omaha Omaha brought his Kentucky Derby points total to 26 last out with a rallying third in the 1 1/8-mile Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs March 15.
Gorham noted that Omaha Omaha is also nominated to the $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland April 5, but he currently prefers a return to Aqueduct.
"It's a good possibility. We've nominated to the Blue Grass and the Wood and I'm leaning towards New York. He ran two good races up there," Gorham said.
The late-running Omaha Omaha broke a step slow and was last of seven in the early going of the Virigina Derby. Fifth at the stretch call under regular rider Raul Mena, Omaha Omaha closed five-wide down the lane put a neck in front of Getaway Car to earn show honors while less than one length back of runner-up Render Judgment.
"It was a real fast track. They broke the track record, and it was tough to close into that kind of pace where no one was really coming back," Gorham said. "I thought he ran pretty good—he finished third, and was just beat a short way for second.
"He came out of the Virgina Derby great," Gorham added. "He's been back to the track. He's training good. He was pretty sharp the next morning. He might work the end of next week or the weekend."
Omaha Omaha has been last at the first point of call in each of his seven starts but has shown tenacity to produce a 2-1-3 record for purse earnings of $209,800. He graduated at third asking traveling one mile in October at Delaware Park.
"That's the way he is and that's the way he's been since I've had him," Gorham said. "He's never really showed a lot of early speed as a 2-year-old, so that's why we started him out in the long races. We wanted to keep him long. He's a one-run horse. He runs the last three-eighths of a mile and hopes for the best."
Gorham said he's hopeful that there will be plenty of pace to chase should Omaha Omaha make the trek to the Big A for the Wood Memorial.
"If you don't win, hopefully you can get a piece of the pie. With everyone else jostling for the lead, some of them are going to get tired, so the closer can have a little advantage that way to get a placing," Gorham said.
The talented bay is out of the Kitten's Joy mare England Swings, a full-sister to 2015 Eclipse champion turf horse Big Blue Kitten. Omaha Omaha debuted on turf, finishing fourth in an about 7 1/2-furlong maiden in August at Delaware.
Gorham said that while Omaha Omaha is focused on dirt racing at the moment, he won't rule out a return to the turf down the line.
"That's a possibility in the future. He's doing pretty well on the dirt and will stay there for now," Gorham said. "The first start of his life was on the turf, and he ran well that day. It was shorter and he was running at the end, but it was kind of a soft turf that day. I didn't get a true read on him—he was still a little green first time out."
Surfside Moon to miss Wood Memorial
Trainer Chuck Lawrence said Manor Stable and Mair Lee Stables' Surfside Moon will not start in the Wood Memorial after illness disrupted his training schedule.
"He came down with a little virus after the Withers and we gave him a few weeks off, so unfortunately we'll have to miss the Wood," said Lawrence, who added the colt will now target the nine-furlong Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park April 19. "I've still got a nice horse, so that's the main thing.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
