Works for Me and Dylan Davis (light blue silks) put their nose down in time to dead heat with Alogon (outside) in Saturday’s Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. Coglianese Photo/Chelsea Durand.
Works for Me drew into the field for Saturday’s Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship off the also-eligible list and came away with a dead-heat victory in the $150,000 open-company stakes under a pickup ride from Dylan Davis.
The 3-year-old son of Daddy Long Legs finished on even terms with Alogon for his second stakes victory for owners and breeders KatieRich Stables, Chris Connors and Larry Appel. Davis roe the colt for trainer Joe Lee.
“He’s always been a nice horse,” Lee said. “I liked him since last year and I thought the grass moves him up a little bit, but he did run well on the dirt. His preparation for the last couple of races weren’t how we wanted it – you can see that by the workouts – but aside from that, he always gives you 110 percent. I’m really happy for him and for the owners.”
The lone 3-year-old in the field of 10, Works for Me went to post as the second longest price on the board at 23-1.
Jean Valjean took the early initiative in the Turf Sprint, putting a 1 1/2-length lead on Shefflin through the opening quarter-mile in :22.49. Davis kept Works for Me close early while on the outside, just a half-length behind Shefflin.
The first three maintained their positions around the far turn, with Jean Valjean clicking past the half in :45.18 and Alogon inching closer toward the outside and just 2 ½ lengths back under Irad Ortiz Jr. Alogon continued his run through the lane, just to the outside of Works for Me, past 5 furlongs in :56.64. Works for Me responded to Alogon’s run to his inside, edged past Jean Valjean late and hit the finish on even terms.
Works for Me originally landed on the Turf Sprint’s also-eligible list before he drew in when Grooms All Bizness scratched due to a cough. Davis was named on Grooms All Bizness, with Ortiz also named on Alogon.
“I got lucky to pick this one up,” Davis said. “Joe Lee said to try to get him into the game out of the gate. He broke well for me and tracked nicely into the turn. I thought Irad was going to go right by me late, but my horse found a little extra.
“I thought I got the bob there, but it is better than finishing second, so I’m happy. And again, my horse scratched here, so I became available and I was able to pick up this horse. It was a great run, and better than second.”
Works for Me, the second longest price on the board, came into Saturday’s race off back-to-back tries in open-company turf stakes – a fifth in the Mahony in August at Saratoga Race Course and a third in the Carle Place last month at Aqueduct. Works for Me added the Aqueduct Turf Sprint to his victory in last year’s Notebook Stakes on dirt at Aqueduct. He also improved to 4-for-13 with two seconds and three thirds for $307,705 in earnings.
“He ran extremely well in his last race being 13 or 14 out of it at the eighth pole and only getting beat 4 1/2 to Run Carson and that was a speed favoring track that day, but he made up some ground,” Lee said. “I knew he’d run well this time, and I told the owners he’d turn tables. He was doing well, but he does like it a little bit firmer. He dug in and ran great. I have to give him credit and credit to Dylan for not giving up and being resilient.”
Foaled at Doyle Farm in Schuylerville, Works for Me is the first foal out of the Soldat mare Bella’s Game, a two-time winner in eight starts and earner of $58,850. A $90,000 purchase at the 2017 OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale, Bella’s Game is a half-sister to stakes-placed She’s Like Thunder from the family of 2001 Kentucky Derby runner-up Invisible Ink.
Bella’s Game did not produce a foal in 2022, when she did not sell in foal to Beau Liam at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. She’s also the dam of a yearling filly by Beau Liam, bred in New York by Taylor Barraclough and Shane Barraclough, who sold for $47,000 at the recent Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale.
