MTB Back on Track for Travers
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Mine That Bird recovers quickly
By David Grening
Barbara D. Livingston
Mine That Bird was back at the track Friday, able to resume training with Chip Woolley, just three days after undergoing minor throat surgery.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Mine That Bird remained on target for a start in the $1 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 29 after an endoscopic examination Friday morning revealed his throat was clear and he was able to return to the track for training.
Following an endoscopic examination performed by Dr. James Hunt, Mine That Bird jogged two miles over Saratoga's main track under exercise rider George Smith. It was his first day of training since he underwent throat surgery on Tuesday morning to repair an entrapped epiglottis. The entrapment was diagnosed after Mine That Bird worked five furlongs in 1:03.83 Monday at Saratoga.
After the training session, Chip Woolley, the trainer of Mine That Bird, said he believes his horse is "on track'' to make the Travers.
"In Doc's words he was perfect," Woolley said. "There's not any inflammation around the epiglottis. Everything looks smooth, laid out flat, looks real pretty. In his words, he looked perfect. We tracked him, he bucked and played all the way around there. It looked like he was happy and felt good. Coming off the track, he was bouncing and playing. I would say we're on track right now. We don't have any excuses. The horse looks really good.''
Woolley planned to gallop Mine That Bird through Monday and then work him a half-mile on Tuesday. He will scope the horse again between now and Tuesday,
"We'll scope him again in a couple of days, make sure we haven't irritated something in there,'' Woolley said. "Right now he looks as good as you could ever ask him to look.''
Woolley said he is not concerned by missing two days of training.
"He's dead fit,'' Woolley said. "Fortunately, we found it following a work, not going into a work where we missed a work. I don't have any worries about missing a day or two of training; you miss that many days of training to a muddy track. The main thing was getting him back on track today, and tracking him going into his work on Tuesday.''
McLaughlin prepares for Rachel
Thus far, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has been able to avoid facing the superstar filly Rachel Alexandra. That is likely about to change.
On Friday, McLaughlin worked horses for the Travers and the Woodward, one of which figures to be the next start for Rachel Alexandra.
"I'm not in the Personal Ensign, maybe she'd like to go there,'' McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin plans to run Charitable Man in the Travers, and on Friday he worked four furlongs in 47.45 seconds, the fastest of 24 at the distance. Jockey Ramon Dominguez was up for the work, the first time he has been aboard the Peter Pan winner. Dominguez will ride Charitable Man in a race for the first time in the Travers as Alan Garcia will now ride Our Edge for Nick Zito.
"If you asked me after the breeze I would have never guessed he went that fast,'' Dominguez said. "He was very much within himself.''
"We don't use riders that much in the mornings,'' McLaughlin said. "Just because it's an important race we wanted him to sit on him.''
Asiatic Boy, runner-up in the Suburban last out, worked four furlongs 48.25 seconds Friday morning in preparation for a start in the Woodward on Sept. 5. It was his first work since he was forced to scratch out of the Whitney on Aug 8 due to a temperature.
"He's doing great, he's pretty fit, we don't think he missed anything,'' McLaughlin said.
By David Grening
Barbara D. Livingston
Mine That Bird was back at the track Friday, able to resume training with Chip Woolley, just three days after undergoing minor throat surgery.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Mine That Bird remained on target for a start in the $1 million Travers Stakes on Aug. 29 after an endoscopic examination Friday morning revealed his throat was clear and he was able to return to the track for training.
Following an endoscopic examination performed by Dr. James Hunt, Mine That Bird jogged two miles over Saratoga's main track under exercise rider George Smith. It was his first day of training since he underwent throat surgery on Tuesday morning to repair an entrapped epiglottis. The entrapment was diagnosed after Mine That Bird worked five furlongs in 1:03.83 Monday at Saratoga.
After the training session, Chip Woolley, the trainer of Mine That Bird, said he believes his horse is "on track'' to make the Travers.
"In Doc's words he was perfect," Woolley said. "There's not any inflammation around the epiglottis. Everything looks smooth, laid out flat, looks real pretty. In his words, he looked perfect. We tracked him, he bucked and played all the way around there. It looked like he was happy and felt good. Coming off the track, he was bouncing and playing. I would say we're on track right now. We don't have any excuses. The horse looks really good.''
Woolley planned to gallop Mine That Bird through Monday and then work him a half-mile on Tuesday. He will scope the horse again between now and Tuesday,
"We'll scope him again in a couple of days, make sure we haven't irritated something in there,'' Woolley said. "Right now he looks as good as you could ever ask him to look.''
Woolley said he is not concerned by missing two days of training.
"He's dead fit,'' Woolley said. "Fortunately, we found it following a work, not going into a work where we missed a work. I don't have any worries about missing a day or two of training; you miss that many days of training to a muddy track. The main thing was getting him back on track today, and tracking him going into his work on Tuesday.''
McLaughlin prepares for Rachel
Thus far, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has been able to avoid facing the superstar filly Rachel Alexandra. That is likely about to change.
On Friday, McLaughlin worked horses for the Travers and the Woodward, one of which figures to be the next start for Rachel Alexandra.
"I'm not in the Personal Ensign, maybe she'd like to go there,'' McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin plans to run Charitable Man in the Travers, and on Friday he worked four furlongs in 47.45 seconds, the fastest of 24 at the distance. Jockey Ramon Dominguez was up for the work, the first time he has been aboard the Peter Pan winner. Dominguez will ride Charitable Man in a race for the first time in the Travers as Alan Garcia will now ride Our Edge for Nick Zito.
"If you asked me after the breeze I would have never guessed he went that fast,'' Dominguez said. "He was very much within himself.''
"We don't use riders that much in the mornings,'' McLaughlin said. "Just because it's an important race we wanted him to sit on him.''
Asiatic Boy, runner-up in the Suburban last out, worked four furlongs 48.25 seconds Friday morning in preparation for a start in the Woodward on Sept. 5. It was his first work since he was forced to scratch out of the Whitney on Aug 8 due to a temperature.
"He's doing great, he's pretty fit, we don't think he missed anything,'' McLaughlin said.
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