Working for the first time since winning the G1 Queen Anne S. on opening day of the Royal Ascot meeting June 14, Robert Masterson's Eclipse Award-winning turf female Tepin (Bernstein) breezed four easy furlongs over the Oklahoma turf training track in :50.42, then galloped out five panels in 1:04 with regular rider Julien Leparoux at the controls. Following the work, trainer Mark Casse confirmed that Tepin will once again face the males, this time in the GI Fourstardave H. Aug. 13 as a steppingstone to the GI Woodbine Mile in September.
Shortly after the champion worked, World Approval (Northern Afleet), last-out winner of the GI United Nations S. at Monmouth Park July 3, earned the bullet for his four-furlong turf gallop in :48.72, with a gallop-out time of 1:01. Florent Geroux was in the irons.
“That was a big work for him,” Casse noted. “Florent said he's a funny kind of horse to ride–the faster he goes, the lower his head gets. He'll run in the [Aug. 13 GI, 10-furlong] Arlington Million if all goes well, but if we decide to miss that race he could go in the [12-furlong GI] Sword Dancer [S. Aug. 27]. His new strategy, staying close to the pace, has made him more effective; he has a quick turn of speed.”
In other news from the Casse barn, Noble Bird (Birdstone) went a half-mile in :47.66, a move that has the conditioner thinking big.
“That was as good as I've ever seen Noble Bird work this morning,” noted Casse. “He went 47, and looking at him, I thought he went in :50, so he may have earned himself a ticket to the Whitney. We'll see how he comes out of it.”
Casse's son Norm added that GIII Bashford Manor S. winner Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) and Debutante S. victrix Pretty City Dancer (Tapit) would go in the GI Hopeful S. and GI Spinaway S. on closing weekend in early September.
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