Thin White Duke Coming Back on Short Rest

On July 28, Thin White Duke ran second in an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon Turf course at Saratoga Race Course. Eight days later, Aug. 5, the 4-year-old son of Dominus is entered to run in the $300,000 Troy Stakes Presented by Horse Racing Ireland (G3T) against the imposing Golden Pal. "Nobody is beating that horse if he shows up at all," Thin White Duke's trainer David Donk said Aug. 3 about Golden Pal. "I am using the Allen Jerkens rule: never be scared of one horse." New York-bred Thin White Duke is owned by former trainer Phil Gleaves and his partners Steven Crist, Ken deRegt, and Bryan Hilliard. Donk has no concerns about running the gelding back on short rest. "He is doing really well," Donk said. "The grass is easy on him. I am a couple generations removed from these younger guys. We don't run enough. This was a last minute decision with Phil. We'll see what happens." Donk has also entered Yes and Yes, owned by Gleaves, Joseph R. Straus Jr., and Hugh Fitzsimons.