Godolphin Racing’s Girolamo and Regal Ransom
turned in separate five-furlong breezes this morning at Belmont Park as they
continued their respective final preparations for Saturday’s Grade 1 Vosburgh
and Sunday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Kelso Handicap.
Girolamo negotiated the distance in 1:01.05 in the
fifth-fastest of 35 workouts at the distance. Winner of the one-mile Grade 2
Jerome Handicap last fall and fifth in the Grade 2 Forego at Saratoga on September 4 most recently, the
4-year-old son of A.P. Indy will be cutting back in distance for the
six-furlong Vosburgh.
“With his pedigree, we’d like to take a shot at winning a
Grade 1,” said Rick Mettee, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor. “Without
Majesticperfection and Big Drama going to the race, we thought it might be a
winnable Grade 1.”
Regal Ransom, who took the 2009 Group 2 U.A.E. Derby and Grade 2 Super
Derby, earned a bullet for his 58.67 drill. Like his stablemate, Regal Ransom
will shorten up in distance as he enters the one-mile Kelso off a gate-to-wire
victory in a 1 1/8-mile optional claimer at Saratoga on September 1.
“We’re really happy with him,” said Mettee. “It’s going to
be a tough race, but he tries hard every time.”
Mettee revealed that Sara Louise lost a shoe during
her third-place effort in yesterday’s Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap, her first
start following her narrow defeat at the hands of Indian Blessing in the 2009
renewal.
“She was squeezed at the start, and that’s when I assume it
happened,” said Mettee. “She’s a little tired this morning, but that’s what
you’d expect after going 6 ½ furlongs off a layoff.”
Prior to the Gallant Bloom, Mettee said Sara Louise was
under consideration for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on November
5, and that status hasn’t changed following yesterday’s performance.
“It was an OK race,” said Mettee. “The winner got a Beyer of
93, so that would put her in the high 80s. I don’t know if that’s good enough
for the Breeders’ Cup, but we’re going to proceed as if that’s where we’re going.
We’ll see what Saeed wants to do, although I’m not sure what else is
available.”