Fitzsimmons eyes a double
Gold Star and Teardrops stand out on the training track
After posting a treble last Saturday with Don De La Vega, Boomba and Relentless, trainer Tim Fitzsimmons must be on a high.
How not to be? After all, it was his first three-timer and that alone warranted another round on the house. You can bet the Australian handler is still on Cloud Nine.
Fitzsimmons has assembled a tight and taut gang of seven for this Saturday's meeting and a double - to add to that treble - could be a realistic target.
The two horses who could swing it for him might just be Gold Star and Teardrops.
Both were on the training track yesterday morning and both turned in solid gallops.
Marc Lerner was on Gold Star when running 600m in 37.6sec, while Oscar Chavez was the man testing out Teardrops who clocked 37.7sec. Both gallops were on Track 6.
With already four wins - that last victory coming last August - Gold Star has been running into some good form.
He took third behind the very-talented Savvy Command at his last start on May 22. Before that, he beat all but Tiger Roar in an exciting sprint over the 1,400m.
That day, on May 1, Gold Star and Tiger Roar burst from the pack over the last 250m and staged a terrific show to the line. On the day, Tiger Roar got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
Gold Star was beaten but not battered and, as we know, he picked himself up to collect a cheque in his next outing.
A five-year-old, Gold Star was one of a few horses Fitzsimmons "inherited" from trainer Cliff Brown when his former boss packed up and relocated to Australia earlier in the year.
An honest sort, Gold Star must figure in your calculations when charting your betting strategy for that Class 3 sprint over the 1,400m on Saturday.
Teardrops, also from the Fitzsimmons' yard, has shown ability in all his three trials - albeit without winning.
He was beaten half a length by God's Gift in his first trial in April and he followed it up with another runner-up showing in May. That time, he finished second to stablemate Boomba.
Fitzsimmons sent his charge to the races on May 15 and the three-year-old went off carrying plenty of stable confidence.
He was up with the pace all the way, but the winner Bionics carried too much speed over the 1,000m on the Polytrack.
Teardrops had a trial on June 1 and, although beaten narrowly by Karisto, he showed that he was ticking over nicely. He could send the Fitzsimmons' yard into celebration by taking Saturday's Class 4 sprint over the Polytrack 1,100m.
If Fitzsimmons is to be denied a double, the horse who could mute the celebrations could be Savvy Command.
Down to contest the same race as Gold Star, the Mark Walker-trained Savvy Command worked really well for Vlad Duric, clocking 37sec for the 600m trip.
You could say - and you won't be far wrong - Savvy Command is a youngster being groomed for greatness.
He has greeted the judge four times in an eight-start career. Come Saturday, he will be looking to make it three wins in a row.
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