19-05-2025
Scottish Lassie, Shred the Gnar Work Toward Acorn
Sportsmen Stable, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Photos Finish, Corms Racing Stable and trainer Jorge Abreu's Grade 1 winner Scottish Lassie worked Sunday over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma training track in preparation for the $500,000 DK Horse Acorn (G1) for 3-year-old fillies on June 6 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.
The daughter of McKinzie breezed a solo five furlongs in 1:04 flat shortly after the conclusion of the 8:15 renovation break, her first work since her seasonal bow when third in a May 1 optional claimer at Belmont at the Big A.
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'It was good, and more than enough,' Abreu said. 'She came out of her race with good attitude and is doing everything good, like her old self.'
Scottish Lassie graduated in style last year with a nine-length trouncing of the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont at the Big A, which awarded her a berth into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies where she finished an even fourth. In her return last out, she broke awkwardly and had trouble finding her footing before being rushed up into contention to duel head-to-head for the lead. She weakened in the lane and finished three lengths behind the victorious Cassiar.
Abreu added Scottish Lassie will have two more works in preparation for the nine-furlong Acorn.
Bred in Kentucky by Winchester Farm, Scottish Lassie was an $85,000 purchase at the 2024 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She is out of the winning Bodemeister mare Bodebabe, a half-sister to stakes-winner Windmill and stakes-placed Ignitis.
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Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing's Shred the Gnar was back on the work tab with her sights set on the Acorn .
Trained by Brian Lynch, the Into Mischief bay is pointed to the 1 1/8-mile test following two dominant pacesetting scores, including by seven lengths last out in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs. She breezed a half-mile in 47.60 seconds on Saturday at the Louisville track as she readies for a step up in class.
'She is pointing to the Acorn,' said Lynch. 'I just got a maintenance half-mile into her as she is pointed towards the Acorn. She worked by herself. Her last effort was pretty self-explanatory. Everything seems to be going great with her.'
Shred the Gnar previously graduated second-out by 6 1/2 lengths going one-mile in March at Gulfstream Park. That performance earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure, which she improved to a career-best 94 in her last race. On debut, she was a neck second sprinting six furlongs in February at Gulfstream.
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Also on the tab Saturday at Churchill Downs for Lynch was Grade 1-placed Highway Robber, a 5-year-old Hard Spun gelding who earned a career-best 100 Beyer for a one-length third to Spirit of St Louis in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs.
Highway Robber, owned by Susan and Jim Hill, breezed a half-mile in 50.80 with an eye towards the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan on June 7 Belmont Stakes Day at the Spa.
'He's tentatively schedule to go into the Manhattan,' said Lynch. 'He's an honest horse. It was just a maintenance work, first work back since his last race, letting him stretch his legs.'
Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing's Owen Almighty finished a highly respectable fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, but Lynch said the Speightstown bay will likely pass on Belmont Stakes Racing Festival engagements.
'He's not slated to do anything up there,' said Lynch, adding that the colt is doing well. 'We are just giving him a little more time. No plans for him at the moment, just going to let him do his thing.'
