Photo: NYRA, Adam Coglianese
Preston Stables’ Flat Out headed for the main track
at Churchill Downs Sunday morning a little after 7 o’clock for “a strong
gallop to put air in his lungs,” according to trainer Scooter Dickey.
With jockey Greta Kuntsweiler up, Flat Out was given
credit for a mile work in 1:43.60 by Churchill Downs clockers.
Fractions for the move were :13.80, :27, :39.60, :52.20, 1:04.80, 1:18,
1:31.20 and out a mile and an eighth in 1:58.40.
“I got him in 1:43 and it was just what we wanted,” Dickey said.
“Greta handled it perfectly. If it had been a real work, no telling what
he would have done, maybe 1:39 or 1:40, by himself.
“I have done this before. At Monmouth, it probably would have been
1:39, but I know that track is faster. I have another week to figure out
what I want to do next, but it will be nothing like this. This is what
he does. He loves to train.”
Winner of the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup in his most recent start,
Flat Out figures to be one of the main contenders for the $5 million
Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I) to be run Nov 5.
A victory in the Classic would cap off what has been a year of good
fortune for Dickey, who has five horses in his care at Churchill Downs.
“I’ve been thinking about this a lot, that this has to be my year,”
Dickey said. “I survived the tornado when it hit here in June, survived
the hurricane (Irene) at Monmouth Park and I was sitting in the airport
with (Tampa Bay Downs racing secretary) Allison De Luca when the earthquake hit the East Coast and it knocked us off our chairs.
“This is exciting. It is building. More people are coming in and more
people are calling. I’ve got five good horses I get to come out to
every morning and I like that.”