weekend happenings

Mass Romantic had her first breeze back at Fair Hill this morning. She worked an easy 3/8ths on her own and looks to have done it well. She'll pick up the pace as the weeks roll on and this is just a step to kick off the process.

Veiled Reference was set to work a half mile down in Ocala over the weekend (they were keeping an eye on the weather before committing). If all is in order, she'll come up to Fair Hill coming out of this work. She breezed a half mile last week in company and did it readily. I'll be interested to see how she looks once up on the scene. She seems to be doing well and coming along as a nice filly should.

Social Queen, winner of the Eatontown at MP today (chart here) is the real deal. I don't know where Goldberg will go with her next, but she's got a nice future on the turf. The inside paths were best today, which happens every Haskell weekend it seems (as they save up the inside and then take the temporary rails down leaving great turf down on the rail and chopped up sod in the outside paths). Anyway, she was pace and trip compromised but still wore down a nice Pletcher filly late to take the stake. I'd imagine that you'll see her against Graded company next out, probably in NY.

We'll see if Hard Spun goes after Cable Boy tomorrow, or if his connections just hold him in such little regard that they let him go. If he goes with him, I'd take Cable Boy to win that pace battle. That call, one way or the other, will determine how the race shapes up. If Gomez gets Any Given Saturday off of the rail, it's his race to lose. Can't say I'm inspired by Gomez on the dirt (he's really, really good on the turf, though), but he's on the horse most likely to knock off the favorite.