Canadian Bred Scorching Readies for Gotham in NY

Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch’s dual stakes winner Scorching (Mo Town) worked five-eighths in 1:04.22 over the Belmont Park dirt training track on February 8 in preparation for the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham on March 1 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The one-turn mile for sophomores offers 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Among the tough American three-year-olds who could be in the field is Sand Devil, an undefeated colt from trainer Linda Rice’s barn.

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Trainer John Charalambous said Scorching completed his fourth local work in good order. The Canadian/Ontario-bred colt, based at Woodbine for his first three career starts, has been stabled in the barn of conditioner Michael Miceli – a Toronto native.

“He went by himself, and he breezed well,” Charalambous said. “The track was slow. Sahin Civaci was supposed to breeze him but he’s hurt, so we called an audible and put one of Mike’s exercise riders on him.”

Charalambous, who has been training horses since 1982, said he’s not had to worry about adapting to New York weather.

“It would be nice if we had a few days in the forties. We’ve had some touchy mornings here – Canadian mornings,” Charalambous said with a laugh. “Fortunately, we haven’t missed any days of training with him, so that’s a bonus. There are a few options here that some of the colder weather tracks don’t have. I’ve utilized all the training options we have here and they’re good options, so you don’t miss a day.”

Charalambous has traveled to Aqueduct frequently in the past, including with multiple stakes-winner Countess Steffi, who ran third in the 1995 Listed Garland of Roses Handicap. His most recent local winner came with Charming Chester in a second-level allowance in 2000.

Scorching will look to put Charalambous back in the Big A winner’s circle, entering off a pair of Canadian-bred stakes wins in the 6 1/2-furlong Simcoe over Tapeta in August before being elevated to victory in the 1 1/16-mile Cup and Saucer over turf last out on October 6 when a nose back of Ashley’s Archer, who was disqualified and placed fifth for interference.

Scorching was meant to make one more start at Woodbine in the nine-furlong Coronation Futurity for Canadian-bred juveniles, but had to miss the race.

“The timing and the distance of the Gotham works well for me to be able to get him ready off a little bit of a layoff. Hopefully, it works out,” Charalambous said. “It was unfortunate he got a virus before the Coronation Futurity. I thought he was the best or second-best two-year-old that ran at Woodbine last year. He did everything we asked of him.”

Scorching debuted in July sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over the Woodbine synthetic and rallied on well to complete the exacta behind $300,000 yearling sale purchase Cut the Dust.

“His first race was a very good race. He ran against a highly-regarded horse of Josie Carroll, and he got into a little traffic trouble around the turn and finished really strong,” Charalambous said. “He’s definitely a horse to get excited about. Whether he can handle the competition, I’m not sure, but he deserves an opportunity, and I think he’s up to the task.”

Bred in Ontario by Dan Mooney’s Huntington Stud Farm Corp., the $120,000 CTHS Canadian-bred Yearling Sale purchase, a half-brother to Grade 3-placed Keep Grinding, is out of the stakes-placed Consolidator mare Samsal – a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Stormy Rush.

Canada’s biggest race for Canadian-bred three-year-olds, the King’s Plate, is run on the Tapeta at 1 1/4 miles at the end of August.