Saturday morning at Monmouth Park, Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice had his final tune-up for the
August 27 Travers, breezing four furlongs in 48:60, 25th- fastest of
95 workouts at the distance.
“Everything was great and he’s right on schedule for the
Travers,” said trainer Kelly Breen.
The 3-year-old son of Roman Ruler finished third, beaten 2 ½ lengths,
in Monmouth’s Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 31 behind Coil and
Shackleford.
Jose Valdivia, Jr., who was on board for the George and Lori Hall-owned
gelding’s Belmont Stakes victory, rode for Saturday’s work. Ruler
On Ice went in company with Pants On Fire, winner of this year’s Grade 2
Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds and Grade 2 Pegasus at Monmouth. Both
horses are owned by the Halls and trained by Breen.
The trainer added that he still does not know when he might ship in for
the Travers.
“I don’t know when he’s going to come in,”
Breen said. “We are playing it day by day. He has run over plenty of
different racetracks.”
Also working for the Travers Saturday morning were Prince of Wales
runner-up Bowman’s Causeway,
who breezed five furlongs on Saratoga’s
main track in 1:00.05, third-fastest of 37 at the distance, and Grade 2 Jim
Dandy runner-up Moonshine Mullin,
who covered the same distance in 1:00.60 over the dirt training track at
Woodbine.