Chiefswood Stables' homebred Weyburn is aiming towards a return to graded stakes action in the $175,000 Westchester (G3) going a one-turn mile on May 5 over the main track Belmont Park.
Weyburn, a 5-year-old Ontario-bred son of Pioneerof the Nile, sprung a 46-1 upset in the Gotham (G3) in 2021 at the Big A going the Westchester distance for trainer Jimmy Jerkens. He went winless the rest of his sophomore season before being transferred to trainer Brendan Walsh, capturing last year's seven-furlong Sir Shackleton at Gulfstream Park.
After making one start for trainer Rachel Halden when sixth in the King Edward (G2) over turf at Woodbine, he returned to Jerkens' barn at Palm Meadows for the winter. In his first start off a seven-month layoff, he finished second to Grade 1-winner White Abarrio in a March 4 allowance event going seven furlongs at Gulfstream before securing a repeat triumph in the Sir Shackleton last out on April 1.
“He really picked our heads up, that's for sure,” Jerkens said of the last-out stakes conquest.
Jerkens spoke of his desire to keep Weyburn going one turn this season. At two turns while under Jerkens' care in 2021, Weyburn was a close second to Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mandaloun in the Pegasus at Monmouth Park and was fourth beaten three lengths in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial.
“That's the spot we're looking at,” Jerkens said of the Westchester, which he won in 2006 with Sir Greeley. “He seems to be better around one turn. Two-turn races seem to confuse him a little bit. He ran really well against Mandaloun at Monmouth, but since then he never really got it together going two turns. He runs spotty and he just never figured it out. He ran well in the Wood, the track was just really tiring that day.”
Weyburn breezed a half-mile in :48.11 Thursday over the Belmont training track. The move was the second fastest of 62 recorded works at the distance.
“He worked well. He went a little faster than I wanted,” Jerkens said. “You usually see that when they come back from Florida. They perk up a little bit. He did it easily enough.”
Jerkens said he was impressed by Weyburn's optional-claiming effort when 4 1/2 lengths behind White Abarrio, earning the place position by a neck over Collaborate, who exited that event to earn a 95 Beyer in a Gulfstream allowance win.
“He usually runs very well fresh and he did that day,” Jerkens said. “White Abarrio is a really good horse and he caught up to him, but the pace wasn't all that fast and White Abarrio had plenty left. I love the way he hung on for second. When a horse spurts away like White Abarrio did, they kind of lose heart a little bit. But he kept going for second. It was a really good race and then he came back and won. He needed that little break after the race in Canada. You still never know how they're going to be after being stopped and started again, but he did pretty well right well right when he got to Florida from the farm.”
Weyburn is out of the A.P. Indy mare Sunday Affair, who also produced graded stakes winner Yorkton. His third dam is Grade 1 winner Maplejinsky who produced Hall of Famer Sky Beauty. He sports a record of 4-3-0 from 15 career starts and earnings of $528,994.
The post ‘He Seems Better Around One Turn’: Weyburn Likely For Westchester appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
