Global Weekly Review: Sparking the Kentucky Derby dream
It is never too early to start dreaming of the annual ‘Run For The Roses’ at Churchill Downs, and Godolphin trainer Kiaran McLaughlin already believes he has two young colts, who could be realistic contenders come May 5, 2018.
Enticed, a son of Medaglia d’Oro, caught the eye with a handsome win in Saturday’s G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, over an extended one mile on dirt, at Churchill Downs.
And this weekend, stablemate Avery Island puts his credentials on the line, over a mile and one-sixteenth, at Aqueduct, New York. McLaughlin has purposely kept the two colts apart.
“I think we are fully justified in thinking of the Derby for both of them, at this stage,” McLaughlin said.
“Enticed is a big strong colt, who is learning and improving all the time,” the trainer reported.
“He’s got a great pedigree, being out of It’s Tricky, who is one of the best I’ve trained. He’s also got a great mind, so he checks all the boxes,” he added.
An indication of Enticed’s potential was his third in the G1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, New York, on October 7.
He finished behind Firenze Fire and Good Magic, the latter subsequently landing the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on November 4.
“He’s G1 placed, and the form is very good. I think it’s exciting going forward.
“It was a fast track, which he may not get back there at Churchill in May, but he got plenty of experience. It was a 14-horse field, and he was six wide at the second turn. He got plenty of schooling,” the trainer added.
Enticed could have two or three more outings before the G1 Kentucky Derby in May. His next likely run will be on February 3, at either Aqueduct or Gulfstream Park.
Avery Island, a son of Street Sense, already has two wins on the board, including a last start victory in the G2 Nashua Stakes, over one mile.
A win in New York on Saturday would have this colt firmly on target, too, for a tilt at the Derby in six months.
fonte : Godolphin
Pegasus Just One of the Big Days Planned for Gulfstream
$16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) scheduled Jan. 27.
The elite Thoroughbred meeting, which will run through April 1, will begin Saturday with a program featuring the $1.1 million Claiming Crown. The second running of the Pegasus World Cup Jan. 27 and the 67th edition of the Florida Derby March 31 will headline a record stakes schedule of 94 stakes worth $28.6 million in purses.
The Pegasus World Cup, in which Arrogate dominated 11 rivals last year, including two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome , is on course to again host the highest-profile Thoroughbreds in North America. Gun Runner , the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) victor, is scheduled to make the final start of his career in the Pegasus World Cup, where he could be joined by Collected, West Coast, War Story, and local hero Gunnevera, who rounded out the top 5 positions in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 4. Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Forever Unbridled also is being pointed toward a start against the boys in the 1 1/8-mile showcase that will receive a $4 million purse boost this year.
The 67th running of the Florida Derby figures to again have a significant impact on the Triple Crown campaign. Three of the past five Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winners prepped with victories in Gulfstream’s 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds, including Always Dreaming and Nyquist , who won both races 2017 and 2016 respectively, and Orb who won both in 2013.
Several 2017 Triple Crown hopefuls will be stabled at Gulfstream Park and its satellite facilities, Palm Meadows in Palm Beach County; and Gulfstream Park West in Miami Gardens; including Chad Brown-trained Good Magic, the winner of the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), and Kiaran Mc Laughlin-trained Enticed, the winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs Nov. 25. Trainer Todd Pletcher, who saddled Always Dreaming for victories in the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby, also has many strong Florida Derby and Triple Crown prospects training at Palm Beach Downs, including Montauk, a son of Medaglia d’Oro who authored an impressive debut victory at Belmont Park in October.
Pletcher will seek an unprecedented 15th consecutive Championship Meet title, while jockey Luis Saez, who last year succeeded five-time defending champion Javier Castellano as the top Championship Meet rider, will be on a quest for a repeat.
The Championship Meet’s 18 weekends will include 12 Super Saturdays featuring between three and 12 stakes.
The Claiming Crown will kick off the highly anticipated meet Saturday with nine stakes for former and current claiming horses, including the $200,000 Jewel. The Claiming Crown will be followed Dec. 9 by the $600,000 Clasico Internacional del Caribe, which will be contested for the first time outside the Caribbean and Latin America. The annual five-stakes event will be headlined by the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe, which has attracted Puerto Rico Triple Crown champion Justiciero.
The Pegasus World Cup will be supported by seven stakes worth a total of $1.25 million Jan. 27. The Who’s Who of Thoroughbred Racing will gather in Gulfstream’s Sport of Kings facility Jan. 25 for the 47th Eclipse Awards. Gulfstream will play host to the Pegasus World Cup Betting Championship Jan. 26-27 and the Clasico del Caribe Betting Challenge Dec. 9.
“The Stronach Group continues to reshape, reinvent, and reimagine the racing experience with exceptional facilities, exceptional dining, and world-class racing,” said Bill Badgett, general manager of Gulfstream Park. “Not only are we excited with our racing product, which will feature Hall of Fame trainers and jockeys and many of the best horses in the world, but we’re excited to show off our unique facility and we look forward to our fans and guests being part of our exceptional events. There’s few things in sport that rival a Pegasus World Cup or Florida Derby. There has never been a Championship Meet packed with so many events or so much excitement. We’re looking at a very special and memorable winter.”
The Pegasus will be part of a robust program for older horses on the main track which will include the $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes (G3) Dec. 16, the $100,000 Skip Away Stakes (G3) Jan. 13, the $125,000 Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) Jan. 27, $100,000 Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) Feb. 24, and the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) March 31.
The Florida Derby Day program will offer seven stakes, including four graded stakes in support of the grade 1 attraction. The Florida Derby tops Gulfstream’s much-heralded 3-year-old program, which will include the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes Jan. 6, the $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G2), and $200,000 Swale Stakes (G2) Feb. 3, the $100,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G3) March 24, and the $400,000 Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) March 3.
Ralph Nicks-trained Caledonia Road, the winner of the 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), is at the top of the list of prospects for Gulfstream’s program for 3-year-old fillies that includes the $75,000 Glitter Woman Jan. 6, the $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G2) Feb. 3, $200,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) March 3, and the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) March 31.
The $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1T) will be renewed Feb. 10, headlining an extensive program of turf stakes that also includes the $250,000 Pan American Stakes (G2T) and $250,000 Honey Fox Stakes (G2T) March 31, and $200,000 W. L. McKnight Handicap (G3T) Jan. 27.
fonte :
- By BloodHorse Staff
