Commanding Curve Looks to Woodward

West Point Thoroughbreds' Commanding Curve (Master Command) has joined trainer Dallas Stewart's Saratoga string in advance of a start in Saturday's GI Woodward S. The 4-year-old, second behind California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in last year's GI Kentucky Derby, is coming off a seventh-place effort in the Aug. 1 West Virginia Governor S.

“We actually entered him in an allowance race at Indiana that didn't go,” Stewart explained. “To me, the horse is ready to run. He's been working great. His works have been just awesome. He needs to run. It's a big purse, a great race, and we know the horse is capable of stepping up on a big day. It's a tough race.”

Of his charge's dull finish at Charles Town, Stewart said, “His last race he had a lung infection, but it has since cleared up. It did take a little while, so it was pretty severe. He scoped good the last couple of times. It's time to run.”

Other horses pointing to the Woodward are: Coach Inge (Big Brown), Liam's Map (Unbridled's Song), Mylute (Midnight Lute), Protonico (Giant's Causeway), Bay of Plenty (Medaglia d'Oro), Effinex (Mineshaft) and Wicked Strong (Hard Spun). Tonalist (Tapit) is possible for the race.

Stewart won Saturday's GI Ballerina S. with Unbridled Forever (Unbridled's Song), who shipped to Kentucky Monday on the same flight as American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) and GI Travers S. winner Keen Ice (Curlin). The filly will likely make her next start in the Oct. 31 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint.

“She's good,” Stewart said of Unbridled Forever. “She is going to Churchill to get ready for the Breeders' Cup. She ran back basically in three weeks, and those are her only two races of the year. We might just keep her fit. I don't know if she needs to run again before then if we're going to keep her sprinting. You're talking 60 days between races. We're thinking about it.”

Unbridled Forever began 2015 with a narrow victory in the Shine Again S. at Saratoga Aug. 5. The Ballerina was her second start of the season.