Updates

Phosphorescent is doing well and has shown no more signs of the lung infection. Lupe has decided that our best path to the Breeders' Cup runs through the state of Maryland and the $100,000 Maryland Million Turf Sprint on October 2nd at Laurel Park. The race is restricted, and Phosphorescent would in Lupe's estimation be an odds-on choice in the race.
Phosphorescent was further flattered when Chamberlain Bridge easily won the Turf Monster on Monday. We legitimately were a diminishing half-length from probably the second best turf sprinter in the United States when we ran at Penn National. Lupe feels, when looking at last year's field for the BC Turf Sprint that Phosphorescent would get in if he won the Maryland Million. The selection committee, that fills out the final spots in the field, takes into account success on the turf, who's in good form, etc. With two allowance wins and the runner-up in the Governor's Cup, our resume is not empty. If we cannot win the Maryland Millions, we would not want to run in the BC anyway. While anything can happen, you don't get a chance to be odds-on for 100k too often. From a spacing standpoint, Lupe also really likes the race as we will have five weeks between the Maryland Millions and the Breeders' Cup.

Mr. Fantasy shipped back to Belmont and went back to the track for the first time since his win yesterday. Mike said his ankles are a still a bit puffy from the race. This is to be expected since we operated on his ankles. We know that they are not perfect and will have to be managed throughout the rest of his racing career.
We are going to take a hard look at the $350,000 Vosburgh Invitational (gr. I) on October 2nd at Belmont if everything is going well. We would love to use this race as a springboard for the Breeders' Cup Sprint on November 6th at Churchill Downs. We will have a more solid gameplan once Mr. Fantasy works back. Mike has not put a date on when this colt will work back, but it will likely be in about 10 days.

Brave Monarch has shipped from Saratoga to Belmont and settled in nicely. He returned to the track this morning and moved well. The splint is cold and is not bothering him after the freeze firing. The quarter crack on his foot is no longer an issue. Mike will have him jog for a few days before resuming gallops. We remain on target to see him debut this fall.

The Defense Rests had a little bit of heat in his knee earlier this week. They took an x-ray and did not find anything serious. The knee will never be perfect radiographically, but the fracture line has healed very nicely. They noticed some mild demineralization in the bottom joint. Kip's vet injected the joint with hylaronic acid and they gave him a shot of Polyglycan. Within a few days, the heat had subsided. The vet recommended putting a blister on both front legs to help promote blood flow to the area and to tighten things up before this horse resumes training. They will apply the blister in short order. He is walking the shedrow each day now, and will resume jogging a couple weeks after being blistered.