The Final Workout...The First Start

Saturday morning was the final work for Eligius prior to his first career start, which is scheduled to be in a $17,500 Maiden Claimer on Friday evening, or a Maiden Special Weight on the weekend. We obviously are hoping for the MdSpWt, but there's a possibility that the race won't fill. If that's the case we'll have to opt for the Maiden Claiming route.

Big Gus had a nice work this morning, as he went five furlongs in an easy 1:02. He went the first furlong in roughly :14 seconds, and then progressively picked up the pace at each post. His time was 29th of 44 to go that distance this morning, which was a great sign off of his bullet gate work last week. We've seen him go fast in the morning, now we're trying to get him to rate and build up that stamina.

08/03/2008 - EMD - 5F - 1:02.00 - Dirt - Fast - B
07/26/2008 - EMD - 5F - 0:59.00 - Dirt - Fast - H(G)
07/18/2008 - EMD - 4F - 0:47.40 - Dirt - Fast - H
06/14/2008 - EMD - 5F - 1:00.80 - Dirt - Fast - H
06/08/2008 - EMD - 4F - 0:48.80 - Dirt - Fast - H
06/01/2008 - EMD - 4F - 0:49.40 - Dirt - Fast - B
05/23/2008 - EMD - 3F - 0:35.00 - Dirt - Fast - H(G)
05/18/2008 - EMD - 3F - 0:37.80 - Dirt - Fast - B
05/09/2008 - EMD - 3F - 0:39.40 - Dirt - Fast - B

Below is a grainy, quick video I shot this morning as Eligius came down the stretch.