Deterministic (Liam's Map) exited his victory in the GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct Saturday in fine shape and connections are still mulling a possible next start for the sophomore.
“He came back in good order. We're very much enjoying the fact that he won the Gotham yesterday. It was a very strong performance and we're happy with the way he looks this morning,” trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday. “We will probably ship him to Florida this week. He's done very well in Florida and the weather is more under control. He's been here for the last three months and training well here, so no need to change too much at the moment.”
A debut winner at Saratoga last August, Deterministic was making just his second lifetime start in the Gotham.
“No decision whatsoever made for the next start,” Clement said. “At the moment, the only worry is the well-being of the horse and we'll go from there. We'll get him to a work and the work will tell us what to do with him.”
Clement, who won the 2014 GI Belmont S. with Tonalist (Tapit), said he would only enjoy a first GI Kentucky Derby starter, but only if his charge had a decent shot at victory on the First Saturday in May.
“To run, no–to win, yes,” said Clement, with a laugh. “Running is not very exciting, but winning is. If he was to go that route, that would be very exciting. At the moment, we need to evaluate a next start and I believe, most probably, he would need to run before the Derby.”
Clement also saddled Capital Idea (Classic Empire) in the Gotham. The bay colt, a maiden winner at Aqueduct in January, had a wide trip in his stakes debut while finishing fifth.
“I thought he ran OK. He had a very bad post and he was carried wide all the way, but he actually tried and he finished,” Clement said. “We'd love to go a mile and an eighth and two turns with him next time, but where, I don't know. I think the longer the better. He came back in good order. He trained in New York all winter, so I left him in New York.”
Clement agreed the Apr. 6 GII Wood Memorial might be an option for Capital Idea, as well as for stablemate Pandagate (Arrogate), who captured the Gander S. at Aqueduct Feb. 25. Other options for Pandagate include the Apr. 20 Federico Tesio S. at Laurel Park or the Mar. 30 G2 2 UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse.
“He came back last week and we'll get to a work at the end of this week. We're very happy with him. He's another one that we'll leave eligible for everything,” Clement said of Pandagate.
Also exiting a stakes win at Aqueduct Saturday in fine shape was Jody's Pride (American Pharoah), who earned 50 qualifying points to the GI Kentucky Oaks with her victory in the Busher S.
“She came back great, everything is great,” said trainer Jorge Abreu. “It's very exciting for us. Going to the Breeders' Cup was such a fun ride for us and she showed up over there. To see the performance she put in on that day, we were like, 'Wow,' so we gave her 30 days [off], and then she grew up and got bigger and stronger. Yesterday, she showed it.”
Jody's Pride was second, beaten just a neck by Just F Y I (Justify), in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last November. She is likely to remain in New York and make her next start in the Apr. 6 GIII Gazelle S., according to Abreu.
“I don't want to keep moving her around,” said Abreu. “She's already run four races at three different tracks and four different distances. She likes Aqueduct, too.”
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