Undefeated Rated by Merit Tunes Up for $200,000 Affirmed

Howard Wolowitz Breezes for Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Undefeated and unchallenged Rated by Merit breezed five furlongs over a fast Gulfstream Park track Sunday morning in preparation for a highly anticipated start in the $200,000 Affirmed, the seven-furlong second leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series, Oct. 19.

The St. Elias Stable’s homebred 2-year-old colt was timed in 59.76 seconds for his second workout since capturing the Sept. 7 Dr. Fager, the six-furlong first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series for juveniles sired by accredited Florida stallions.

“I just wanted to let him work a nice five-eighths of a mile with a moderate gallop-out. He did it within himself,” trainer Michael Yates said. “He cooled out like he had been out for a normal gallop. I’m very happy with it.”

Jockey Jesus Rios, who has ridden Rated by Merit in both starts, was aboard for Sunday morning’s breeze.

Rated by Merit debuted with a 9 ¾-length front-running victory at Gulfstream July 13, earning a 92 Beyer Speed Figure that was the fastest of all 2-year-olds at the time. The son of Battalion Runner came right back and posted a 93 Beyer Speed Figure while winning the Dr. Fager by 6 ¼ lengths.

Although Saturday’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) had become viable options, Rated by Merit’s connections opted to stay home for the Affirmed and the $300,000 In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile final of the Florida Sire Stakes Series Nov. 30.

“We just want to develop the horse, so we decided it would be in his best interests,” said Yates, noting that it would be “cramming’ to run in the two out-of-town races. “It would be a lot for a young horse that has run twice. We thought it would be best to space it out and have a nice steppingstone from seven eighths, if he runs well there, to the mile-and-a-sixteenth, which would be another steppingstone.”

R Morning Brew was also prominent on Gulfstream Park’s worktab Sunday morning. Like Rated by Merit, R Morning Brew is undefeated in two starts. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained 2-year-old daughter of Curlin’s Honor breezed four furlongs in 47.80 seconds in preparation for the $200,000 Susan’s Girl, the seven-furlong second leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series for fillies Oct. 19. R Morning Brew, who debuted with a 4 ½-length romp Sept. 9 at Gulfstream, won the $100,000 Desert Vixen, the six-furlong first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series, by 5 ½ lengths.

Howard Wolowitz Breezes for Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Fresh of a Grade 1 victory in the $2 million Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs Sept. 7, Howard Wolowitz breezed four furlongs in 48.75 seconds Sunday morning over a wet-fast track at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

Gold Square LLC’s 3-year-old son of Munnings is being pointed to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

“I worked him in company today. I’m really pleased with the workout,” trainer Jose D’Angelo said. “He went 48 and out in a minute. It was a solid workout that I was looking for. We’re looking good for the Breeders’ Cup.”

D’Angelo said Howard Wolowitz will be shipped Oct. 19 to Del Mar, where he will breeze once for the five-furlong turf sprint.

Howard Wolowitz was never a factor in his debut on dirt March 2 but looked like a different horse on Tapeta June 22 in his second start, graduating by 7 ¾ lengths. He came back to finish fourth on the Saratoga turf Aug. 11 in the 5 ½-furlong Mahony Stakes, in which he lacked running room late. In the 6 ½-furlong Franklin-Simpson, he rallied while racing wide to take the lead in the stretch and fought off a serious challenge to score by a length.

“To be honest, I was very confident in him for that race. He had an unlucky trip in his race at Saratoga. When he went from his maiden and skipped an allowance to run in the stake at Saratoga, it was because I always thought he is a real horse,” D’Angelo said.