M M G Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' El Areeb (Exchange Rate) posted his final workout ahead of the Mar. 4 GIII Gotham S. Sunday morning at Laurel Park, breezing five furlongs under regular rider Trevor McCarthy in 1:00.80–the fastest of eight moves at the distance [video].
“We're delighted,” Lynch said. “It was a very good work this morning. He came back good and scoped good and went right in his feed tub. So far, all systems are a go.”
El Areeb graduated in his third career start at Laurel in October and earned blacktype with an authoritative wire-to-wire victory in the six-furlong James F. Lewis III S. there Nov. 19. He kicked off his sophomore season with a facile 11 1/4-length romp in Aqueduct's GIII Jerome S. Jan. 2 and kept the ball rolling with a similarly powerful 4 1/4-length tally in the Feb. 4 GIII Withers S., setting him up for his third trip to Ozone Park next Saturday. Sunday's work was the gray's second since his most recent triumph.
“The track wasn't as fast as it was last week and he still went in a minute and change,” Lynch continued. “That's the way he is. He's going to work quick whenever he thinks he's going to do something with Trevor, but he did it all in hand. He galloped out in 1:13 all the way back around to the three-eighths pole. He's in good form and the horse is doing well–that's why we're going ahead and decided we'd take a shot at the Gotham rather than wait any longer. You have to go ahead and run them when they're good.”
Lynch said El Areeb will depart for New York following his Friday morning training session.
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