Friday Morning Notes - Jan 6

- When Funny Cide goes to the post in Saturday’s Mr. Prospector Handicap at Gulfstream, he will become the first Kentucky Derby winner to race at 6 since Gato del Sol, the 1982 winner, ran twice in 1985. [Daily Racing Form]

- Reading about Stevie Wonderboy’s six furlong work in 1:12 3/5 on Thursday (“he galloped out in 1:25 [seven furlongs] and 1:39 [a mile]”), his final tuneup before next Saturday’s San Rafael at Santa Anita, I’m reminded of his last workout before he won the Juvenile.

Stevie Wonderboy went so easily under exercise rider Sal Santiago that clockers designated the work as breezing, which is rarely given in Southern California. Only 3 of the 119 horses who worked at Hollywood on Thursday were considered breezing. [DRF]

You may recall similar comments about the 46 second half mile drill before the Breeders’ Cup. At that time, Doug O’Neill said: "Visually, he looked like he was going at a 12-second clip (for an eighth). I was amazed to look at my watch and see what he was doing." So I guess he’s ready.

- The injury that has landed Joe Bravo in a Florida hospital is apparently the most serious in a bizarre string of injuries that has plagued the rider over the last few years after riding injury free for most of his career. His agent Doug Mellul said: "He fractured T8 and T9, the vertebrae that are basically right across from your sternum, and they haven't been able to give us a timeframe as far as recovery goes. It'll definitely be a while.” [Bloodhorse] His most recent prior injury was the broken collarbone he suffered at Monmouth in July from which he returned in September. He fractured a vertabrae in his neck back on opening night at the Meadowlands in 2003.

- Please feel free to email me with comments, suggestions, links, questions, or whatever.