Undefeated “TDN Rising Star” Irish War Cry (Curlin) breezed five furlongs in company with MGSW turfer Divine Oath (Broken Vow) in 1:01.65 (14/17) at trainer Graham Motion's Palm Meadows base Saturday morning in preparation for his next start in Gulfstream's GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 4 (video).
Ridden by exercise rider David Nava, Irish War Cry broke off behind his stablemate, drew even on his inside at the top of the stretch and kicked clear in the final sixteenth. The pair were clocked in splits of :13 1/5 and :25 3/5 and galloped out in 1:13 3/5.
“I think everything went as well as I could have hoped for,” Motion said. “I told David just to sit off his partner a little bit for the early part. He got his first eighth in :13, picked it up, and I got him in 1:01 and change. He galloped out in :13. He finished up very good. I had told David to make sure he galloped out strong. I wanted to be sure he got something out of it. I think it was about perfect, really.”
The conditioner added, “He is a really good workhorse, but I do think he can be a little lazy when he clears another horse like that. I always work him in company. I don't think I've ever worked him on his own before. That would be a novelty, if I had to.”
It was the first and only work for the Isabelle de Tomaso homebred since his decisive triumph in the GIII Lambholm South Holy Bull S. Feb. 4 over a field that included juvenile champion Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile).
“It's going to be a little different this time,” Motion said of the Fountain of Youth. “We didn't have a target on our back last time. I couldn't believe how comfortably he beat the 2-year-old champion. That was exciting. This time it's going to be a little bit different because people will have expectations, as they should. Look, I just would like to see him run a similar race. He's doing great and I see no reason not to run in the Fountain of Youth. We're looking forward to it.”
Also on the worktab Saturday was Holy Bull runner-up Gunnevera (Dialed In), who covered five panels in 1:01 (3/20) at Gulfstream Park West. The two-time graded stakes winner is also pointing for the Fountain of Youth.
“He breezed good,” said trainer Antonio Sano. “He'll go back to the track tomorrow morning to jog. The horse is doing very good.”
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