The sprint division is about to get a whole lot more exciting.
Unbeaten Mean Season (h, 5, Henny Hughes–Mean Imogene, by Silver Deputy)–last seen posting a jaw-dropping six-furlong optional claiming win with a 107 Beyer Speed Figure over the Aqueduct inner last March (video)–recorded his second straight bullet workout, covering four furlongs in :48.40 (1/12) at Payson Park Jan. 18. Owned by Jake Ballis and NBA player Rashard Lewis, the “TDN Rising Star” was sidelined with a stress fracture to his front left foreleg following that aforementioned 7 1/2-length decision.
“Mean Season has been at Payson Park with [trainer] Bill [Mott] since November and has been coming along nicely,” Ballis commented. “Bruce Jackson rehabbed him at his place in Fair Hill and did a wonderful job getting him back to Bill.”
A debut winner at Laurel going a mile for Ginger Punch Racing and trainer Jose Corrales, the chestnut was acquired by longtime friends Ballis and Lewis for $150,000 as a horse of racing age at the 2013 KEENOV sale. He posted another devastating performance at the Big A in his first attempt for these connections that December.
“Mean Season should be ready to run in about a month or so, but we have no particular race in mind as of today,” Ballis concluded. “Rashard and I are extremely excited to get him back and see how fast he actually is since he has never been asked to run before.”
–Steve Sherack
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