Gulfstream: Animal Kingdom getting in gear for return

January 5, 2012

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom launched his 3-year-old campaign on the grass, and there is a good chance trainer Graham Motion may use the same strategy to get Animal Kingdom legged up for the first major goal of his 4-year-old season, the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31.Animal Kingdom continues to prepare for his much-anticipated return at Motions year round headquarters, the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, where he worked a half-mile this past Monday in 49 seconds in company with Tobys Corner. It was the second official recorded work for Animal Kingdom since he underwent surgery to repair a slab fracture in his left hind leg, incurred during the roughly run Belmont Stakes.Animal Kingdom started last year with a mile and one-eighth race on the grass at the beginning of February, and I wouldnt rule out doing the same thing with him this winter, Motion said by phone from Fair Hill on Thursday. He needs to run in February to make the World Cup, and ideally a race in mid-February would be ideal - something like the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.The Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap will be decided at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 11.Theres also a race in Dubai in the middle of February, and I wouldnt totally rule that out either, said Motion.Motion said that as long as the weather holds up he plans to work Animal Kingdom and Tobys Corner each of the next two weekends at Fair Hill before shipping them to Palm Meadows in Florida.The two of them are pretty much on the same schedule, and Id like to keep breezing them together, although Animal Kindgom is pretty sharp off that last work and I dont want either of them getting too racy at this point, said Motion. Ill probably keep them together again at least this weekend and then go from there.Tobys Corner has not raced since sustaining a leg injury following his victory over Uncle Mo in the Grade 1 Wood last April. Motion said he too should be ready to return sometime around the middle of February.A race at seven furlongs first time back would make the most sense for Tobys Corner, perhaps the graded stakes at Gulfstream in mid-February, said Motion, referring to the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship on Feb. 18.Motion also said Gold Magillah, who finished a well-beaten eighth making his stakes debut last weekend in the Gulfstream Park Derby, will likely return to the turf for his next start.I dont want to be too hard on him off that one race, said Motion. Ill probably look for a one-other-than allowance race for him on the grass. Thats kind of what I thought he wants to do anyway.Showdown of unbeatensSaturdays undercard will feature a pair of interesting allowance races topped by the seventh event, a one-mile entry-level optional claimer for 3-year-olds matching the undefeated duo of Discreet Dancer and One Sock Down.Discreet Dancer was a sensational winner of his debut here on opening day, cruising to an easy 9 3/4-length victory and earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 98 in the process. That number was downgraded two points from the original Beyer Figure of 100 posted immediately after the race.One Sock Down rallied from just off the pace to a 3 1/4-length tally in launching his career going six furlongs here on Dec. 8.The ninth race is a seven-furlong optional claimer for older horses. The 10-horse field includes the Grade 1 placed Latigo Shore, Golden Moka, Thank U Phillippe, and Admiral Perry.Jackson Bend in Hals HopeJackson Bend, who finished third as the 5-2 favorite in the Breeders Cup Sprint, and defending champion Soaring Empire are expected to head a field of six to eight older horses lining up for next Saturdays Grade 3 Hals Hope. Among the others who could compete in the one mile Hals Hope are Bold Warrior, Wills Wildcat, Anak Nakal, Cool Blue Red Hot, Manicero and Decisive Moment according to Racing Secretary Dan Bork.The Hals Hope shares top billing on the Jan. 14 card with the Grade 3 Ft. Lauderdale scheduled to be run at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Defending champion Little Mike is among the 38 horses nominated to the Ft. Lauderdale. So too is Kindergarten Kid who sizzled five furlongs in 59.21 seconds over the main track here Thursday.