Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Straight No Chaser (Speightster) and a pair of important 3-year-old colts were the star turns on the Santa Anita worktab Saturday morning.
Last seen sewing up championship honors when taking out the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint over Bentornato (Valiant Minister) at Del Mar Nov. 2, Straight No Chaser turned in his second consecutive bullet work, going five furlongs in :59.20 (1/72) in advance of his expected appearance in the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint on the Saudi Cup undercard Feb. 22. There the 6-year-old is expected to face a rematch with the Jose D'Angelo-trained Bentornato, a respectable third behind Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) and Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in last year's G3 Saudi Derby.
Getaway Car (Curlin), winner of last year's GIII Best Pal Stakes, continued to train along towards his sophomore debut when clocking 1:00.40 for his five-furlong move Saturday morning. The $300,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $700,000 Keeneland September yearling was last seen completing the exacta for his sire behind Journalism in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 14.
'TDN Rising Star' Bullard (Gun Runner) also breezed five-eighths of a mile Saturday morning, covering the distance in 1:00.20 (14/72) for trainer Michael McCarthy. The dark bay won the first two starts of his career, including Del Mar's GIII Bob Hope Stakes Nov. 17, but was soundly defeated into third by Barnes (Into Mischief) in the GII San Vicente Stakes Jan. 4.
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