Musket Man, Big Drama and Atomic Rain on track toward
Haskell
MUSKET MAN (Yonaguska), third in both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness
S. (G1) in May, returned to the track Wednesday morning at Monmouth Park as he
starts preparations for the August 2 Haskell Invitational (G1).
With trainer Derek Ryan keeping a close eye on the drill, the colt breezed a
half-mile in :47 4/5 in company with the unraced two-year-old Ponzi Scheme (Call
To Combat). Musket Man, who had not breezed since May 12 when getting ready for
the Preakness, galloped out five furlongs in 1:00 4/5. Jockey Daniel Centeno was
aboard.
“It was a good breeze for his first work back,” Ryan said. “He came out of it
in good shape.”
Ryan said Musket Man is not scheduled to start before the Haskell, and will
come up to the 1 1/8-mile feature on works alone.
“I’d like to breeze him on the turf next Wednesday,” the trainer said,
“probably five-eighths. Then he’ll have a one-mile breeze between races about
two weeks before the Haskell.”
Clockers noted that Musket Man looked good in his first work back, and
galloped out strong. His time was tied for second best of 41 half-mile works.
Musket Man made six starts between January 17 and May 16, winning the Tampa
Bay Derby (G3) and Illinois Derby (G2) before finishing third behind Mine That
Bird (Birdstone) and Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker) in the Kentucky Derby,
and third behind Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) and Mine That Bird in the
Preakness.
BIG DRAMA (Montbrook), also on course for the Haskell, returned to Monmouth
Park Sunday after his big score Saturday night in the Red Legend S. at Charles
Town. Big Drama drew off to win by seven lengths, running the seven furlongs in
a swift 1:24 with Eibar Coa aboard.
“He ran huge and he came back great,” said Rudy Wolfendale, assistant to
trainer David Fawkes. “He’s still on track for the Haskell.”
This was the first victory of the year for Big Drama, who was disqualified
after finishing first in the Swale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park in March, and
then ran fifth behind Rachel Alexandra after a world of trouble in the
Preakness.
Big Drama has lived up to his name in his most recent starts. The morning of
the Preakness he was cast in his stall, and then broke poorly in the race and
never was able to get the lead from Rachel Alexandra.
And before the Charles Town race, Wolfendale said it took three days to get
the colt reshod. Big Drama allowed his hind feet and right front foot to be
shod, but then refused to cooperate with the blacksmith. The next day, the left
hoof was shod (the colt wears glue-on shoes up front) and he breezed the same
morning. The shoe came loose and the blacksmith put nails in to hold it for the
race Saturday.
ATOMIC RAIN (Smart Strike), who won an allowance race at Monmouth on June 6
for his first win since breaking his maiden in June 2008, is scheduled to breeze
next Monday as he continues training for the July 11 Long Branch S., the local
prep for the Haskell.
Breen scheduled the work Monday because he is sending the two-year-old filly
Truth and Justice (Yes It’s True) to Woodbine for Sunday’s $150,000 My Dear S.
Truth and Justice broke her maiden at first asking at Monmouth on May 17,
winning by 3 1/2 lengths.
Atomic Rain ran fourth in the April 4 Wood Memorial S. (G1) and then started
in the Kentucky Derby, where he ran 16th behind Mine That Bird.