ELMONT, N.Y. - With an eye on the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in two weeks, trainer Jimmy Jerkens had V. E. Day and Wicked Strong breeze over the Belmont Park training track on Saturday.

Grade 1 Travers winner V. E. Day worked seven furlongs in 1:28.30 at approximately 8 a.m., with Grade 1 TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial victor Wicked Strong going six furlongs in 1:15.93 at 9:45. Exercise rider Kelvin Pahal was aboard for both workouts.

In the Travers on August 23 at Saratoga Race Course, Magalen O. Bryant's V. E. Day closed with a rush to defeat Centennial Farms' Wicked Strong by a nose.

"V. E. Day went kind of faster than I wanted," said Jerkens. "The track was very fast after the first harrow, but, still, he looked great. We wanted to work [Wicked Strong] in the blinkers, but sometimes that keys them up too much, so we worked him in the middle of the track."

The $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup for 3-year-olds and up will be contested at 1 ¼ miles on TVG Super Saturday, September 27, at Belmont Park.