Ruler on Ice all set to kick start his 2012 campaign in the Donn Handicap
The Kelly J. Breen 4-year-old gelding, Ruler on Ice, was among the contenders for an Eclipse Award as the champion 3-year-old male after winning the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on 11 June, 2011, at Belmont Park, going over at 1 ½ miles.
Though Ruler on Ice never tasted victory after that, he did place himself in three starts out of 5 in 2011.
He came close to winning the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on 31 July, 2011, but the Bob Baffert trained Coil spurted past the field from last to spoil Ruler on Ice’s chances to win the race.
He finished third in the 1 1/8 mile event to Coil, who covered the distance in 1 minute and 48.20 seconds, with Shackleford finishing the race in second place.
He finished 4th in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga to winner, Stay Thirsty. Rattlesnake Bridge finished a surprise second in a solid field, while J. W. Blue was always in contention as he finished third in the 1 ¼ mile event on 27 August, 2011.
Kelly J. Breen decided to give Garrett Gomez a shot with Ruler on Ice in his next start, and the change almost paid off when Ruler On Ice fell short by a whisker in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing, where he finished a close second to To Honor and Serve, keeping Rattlesnake Bridge at bay in third.
In the current season, Ruler on Ice is focused on his debut start in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap on 11 February, 2012.
"He came out of his last race with a little lung infection that took awhile to clean out, but he’s doing great now,” said Breen, Thursday afternoon.
He added:
“When he was down here in Florida last winter he just wasn’t right (made 2011 debut at Aqueduct in early February), but he couldn’t be doing any better now".
“He loves it at Palm Meadows. You won’t see a work on him this weekend, probably just a two-minute l**k, and then a final workout on Super Bowl morning (Feb. 5). We’re looking for a good transition from his three to four-year-old (season).”
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