Vodka Vodka Preps for Big ‘Cap, Om N Joy Readies for Beholder

[Wandering Eyes]

Vodka Vodka (Stay Thirsty) and his younger half-sister Om N Joy (Om) are both on target for Grade I assignments on Mar. 7 at Santa Anita after each worked five furlongs at Santa Anita Sunday morning. Trained by Aggie Ordonez, Vodka Vodka and Om N Joy each worked with Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux aboard.

Winner of the Unusual Heat Turf Classic at Santa Anita on Jan. 17, Vodka Vodka completed the task in 1:00.20. He is slated to run in the GI Santa Anita Handicap.

“He's doing so great right now. I could run him tomorrow,” Ordonez said. “He's just floating on air, doing everything right. He's fit. It's just a matter of keeping him happy while I hold my breath for the next two weeks.”

The 5-year-old California-bred gelding was fourth in the GII Laffit Pincay Jr. on Dec. 28 in his only stakes try against open company.

Working five furlongs in :59.60, 4-year-old Om N Joy hasn't started since finishing fourth in the GII Raven Run in October at Keeneland.

“It was exactly what I was looking for,” Ordonez said of the drill.

“She needed a serious work and it was a serious work,” Ordonez said. “Kent set a target behind two Baffert horses. That's usually a good idea when you need a good work. It played out perfectly. She had a target and picked it up down the lane immensely.”

Pointing toward the GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile on the Big 'Cap card, the Cal-bred previously posted a lackluster five-furlong work in 1:02.60 in Arcadia on Feb. 15.

“I was a little concerned with her work last week, but Kent made a smart move that day and gave her a strong gallop-out. It turned into a stamina work really,” Ordonez said. “We discussed that she would need to wake up this week and she did.”

Vodka Vodka and Om N Joy were both bred and are co-owned by Jerry Baker and Connie Baker, who were on hand Sunday morning to watch the works.

 

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