Several 3-year-olds pointed toward next week's $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga put in workouts Saturday.
Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist, with exercise rider Alvaro Hernandez, worked five furlongs in 1:01.88 over Saratoga's Oklahoma training track.
"It was a nice work," said Christophe Clement, who trains the colt for Robert S. Evans. "We'll have to see how he comes out of it. A touch more aggressive, maybe, than last week. To me, the horse is very, very fit. The plan is not to do any more fast work. Keep him happy, keep him sound, and run him next Saturday. He had a race (and) two breezes. He looks great, he's fit.
"I'm looking forward to the Travers, I'm looking forward to a mile and a quarter, I'm looking forward to the pace scenario,"
Jim Dandy winner Wicked Strong worked six furlongs over the main track in 1:13.15 under regular exercise rider Kelvin Pahal.
"I thought he worked like he usually does," said trainer Jimmy Jerkens. "It looked like the track was very, very fast, so I knew he would skip right along. Kelvin looked up at me at the quarter pole. I didn't wave him on any. I didn't want him to go too fast because he's already a little more on the bridle with the blinkers on."
Kentucky Derby runner-up Commanding Curve had a five-furlong work over the main track on Saturday. Trained by Dallas Stewart for West Point Thoroughbreds, the 3-year-old was timed in 1:01.58.
"He went very well," Stewart said. "It was a good workout. He drank a lot of water and finished up good. It will tighten him up really good. He's not a superior work horse, but he put a lot of effort in today.
"We've been pushing him. We're going to see what happens. He's got to pick his game up. He's got to improve six, eight, 10 lengths to win. He's been strong and consistent. Throw out the Belmont (ninth in the Belmont Stakes) and he's been knocking at the door, so we'll see what happens."
Prince of Wales Stakes champ Coltimus Prime, trained by Justin Nixon, worked five furlongs at Saratoga in 1:05. Ridden by Eurica Rosa da Silva, Coltimus Prime won the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown by 3 1/2 lengths at Fort Erie and covered the 1 3/16 miles in 1:54.58.
[SportsNetwork.com]
