Roman Ruler, the likely Travers favorite, worked five furlongs in a strong 59.24 seconds with exercise rider Dana Barnes in the irons. Trainer Bob Baffert, who was in California, was on the phone with jockey Jerry Bailey, who was standing next to trainer John Terranova, who was clocking the work and relaying instructions via walkie-talkie to Barnes. After Roman Ruler went a quick opening quarter-mile in 23.62 seconds, Terranova told Barnes to go easy.

Barnes grabbed hold of Roman Ruler, who wound up getting his last three furlongs in 35.62 seconds and galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.01.

"That's where he likes to make his move, around the turn, and when he switched leads he took a hold of the bit," Barnes said. "He was strong, not out of control. He worked pretty fast last week, so we didn't want to do that again. He did it as easy as he could do it."

Since overcoming foot problems that forced him to miss the Triple Crown series, Roman Ruler has won the Grade 2 Dwyer and Grade 1 Haskell.

"He keeps getting better," Barnes said. "The confidence of winning those races has really pepped him up."

Shortly after Roman Ruler worked, Flower Alley, with Angel Cordero Jr. up, breezed five furlongs in company with the New York-bred stakes winner West Virginia. The duo picked up some company early in the work as a horse who broke out of the gate came up to their inside. They had to go around the tiring worker on the turn, and Flower Alley came a bit wide in the stretch. Flower Alley was timed in 1:00.22.

Cordero was pleased with the move and is confident in Flower Alley's chances on Saturday.

"Since he ran in the Dwyer he started getting better and better," said Cordero, who worked the horse for trainer Todd Pletcher. "When he won the Jim Dandy, he was doing good. He's doing better now.''