Todd Pletcher | Horse Racing Free Tips

Kentucky Derby Winner Mage Among Those Pointing Towards Preakness

Gustavo Delgado Jr., son of and assistant to trainer Gustavo Delgado, said GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) has shown all the right signs following his victory in Saturday's race and will run in the GI Preakness S. May 20 as long as everything continues to go well. The colt is expected to jog around the racetrack Tuesday morning.

“He ate up everything, his feed, he's feeling good,” Delgado Jr. said.

Forte (Violence), the scratched morning-line favorite from the Derby, galloped at Churchill Downs Monday morning in an apparent preparation towards an anticipated run in the Preakness S., but a statement from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission seems to have left those plans in jeopardy. The release said that after a state vet scratch like Forte's, a horse has a mandatory 14-day period when he cannot race, after which he must work for a state regulatory vet and pass a blood test.

Trainer Larry Rivelli said via text Monday afternoon that GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Two Phil's (Hard Spun) has exited his strong performance Saturday in the first leg of the Triple Crown in good order.

“He's back home and chilling,” reported Rivelli from his home base at Hawthorne Park.

A firm decision has yet to be made regarding a Preakness start.

Another pair yet to make a final call on the Preakness is National Treasure (Quality Road) for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and 10th-place Derby finisher Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}) for trainer Keith Desormeaux.

“He's tired, as to be expected,” Desormeaux said Monday morning at Churchill Downs. “He'll go back to the track tomorrow or Wednesday. We'll see how he does walking this afternoon. If he's showing some energy, we'll train tomorrow. If not, we'll wait until Wednesday. We'll make a decision by Sunday whether we're going to Baltimore or not. He'll tell us.

Godolphin's First Mission (Street Sense), winner of Keeneland's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. in his last start April 15, jogged at Churchill Downs Monday morning also in preparation for the Preakness while resuming training following a five-eighths of a mile workout in 59.80 seconds May 6.

“First Mission is amazing, he looks very good,” said Jorje Abrego, assistant to trainer Brad Cox. “He's ready. He'll gallop (Tuesday).”

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Mage Team Enjoying Derby Win, Eyeing Preakness

The team behind GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) was still savoring the colt's Classic victory on a rainy Sunday morning in Louisville, while taking a wait-and-see approach about a potential start in the May 20 GI Preakness S.

“The horse is looking very good. I checked with the vet, and he's fine,” trainer Gustavo Delgado, Sr. said. “Winning the Kentucky Derby is different than winning the Triple Crown and Simon Bolivar in Venezuela. It's the same but different. It was a very happy experience to win the Kentucky Derby with my son and family here. When we go out there and work every day, every day, every day, it's the best. Winning the Kentucky Derby was the goal. This is a good thing.”

Co-owner Ramiro Restrepo acknowledged how special the victory was for the entire team.

“For all of us, this was a lot of time dedication and sacrifice more than anything from these two boys [Delgado and assistant trainer/co-owner Gustavo Delgado Jr.],” Restrepo said. “This is a game that you lose way more than you win. It's a labor of love. You're just dream chasing. Today is very special for all of us. This is the top of the mountain in this sport for so many. Everyone knows the Kentucky Derby around the world. It's arguably, if not the, top race in the world. We had that dream come true. For one brief second, we can exhale, and look up, and enjoy this moment.”

Mage is likely to remain at Churchill Downs for several days and could return to the track as soon as Tuesday.

Should he line-up in the Preakness, Mage may face a rematch with Forte (Violence), who was scratched with a foot bruise as the morning-line favorite for Saturday's Derby.

Trainer Todd Pletcher termed Forte's foot “good” Sunday morning and said the champion should have a timed workout in the next few days. Forte, who galloped Saturday morning before being withdrawn from the Derby, did not train Sunday but will go back to the track Monday, Pletcher said.

“If he runs in the Preakness, then he'd probably not run in the Belmont,” Pletcher said of Forte's possible next starts. “We'd probably focus on the Travers after that, have a race before in the Jim Dandy or Haskell.”

Forte defeated Mage by one length in the Apr. 1 GI Curlin Florida Derby.

“I think it maybe puts some of the naysayers about the Florida Derby and [that] Forte didn't run a good race…to rest,” Pletcher said of Mage's Derby win justifying the form of the Florida Derby. “But we know he's a special horse: champion 2-year-old, Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, two-for-two at three.”

Trainer Steve Asmussen saddled Disarm (Gun Runner) to a fourth-place finish in Saturday's Derby. That colt is under consideration for the Preakness, as is stablemate and GII Rebel S. runner-up Red Route One (Gun Runner).

“I was very happy with how Disarm came out of the race, bright and alert and traveling well,” Asmussen said. “He's a tough horse. We thought Disarm ran solid. We wanted a little better result, but he competes well against the best 3-year-olds in the country and we expect him to continue to get better.”

Red Route One, who earned a fees-paid berth in the Preakness by virtue of winning Oaklawn Park's Bath House Row S., worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 (2/8) Sunday at Churchill.

Derby runner-up Two Phil's (Hard Spun) is considered possible for the Preakness, as is 10th-place finisher Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}).

While Brad Cox said it was unlikely any of his four Derby runners would start back in the Preakness, the trainer is expected to be represented in the race by GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. winner First Mission (Street Sense). The dark bay colt worked five furlongs in :59.80 (3/23) at Churchill Saturday.

“Right now, First Mission is our Preakness horse,” Cox said. “I don't know if we'll add any of these horses, but we'll have to make a decision soon. First Mission had a fantastic work yesterday. I'm very happy with what we're seeing.”

Non-Derby horses under consideration for the Preakness include Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), National Treasure (Quality Raod), Blazing Sevens (Good Magic), Il Miracolo (Gun Runner), Henry Q (Blame), and Instant Coffee (Bolt d'Oro).

Chase the Chaos (Astern {Aus}), who earned an automatic berth in the Preakness for his victory in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, is also being considered. Perform (Good Magic), winner of the Federico Tesio at Laurel Park, also has a spot, but would need to be supplemented for $150,000 on entry day to run.

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Consolation For Forte Connections as Up to the Mark Impresses in Turf Classic

Having swallowed the most bitter of bitter pills earlier in the morning with news that Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) was being scratched from the GI Kentucky Derby, owner Mike Repole was handed a measure of consolation when Up to the Mark (Not This Time) came rolling down the center of the Matt Winn turf course to prove a comprehensive winner of the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic.

Exchanging bumps at the break with Earls Rock (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}), Up to the Mark settled in a midfield fifth for the run past the stands first time around, as Bye Bye Melvin (Uncle Mo) crossed from his outside draw and led from defending champion Santin (Medaglia d'Oro). Traveling in a nice rhythm down the backstretch, Up To the Mark commenced a rally leaving the three-furlong peg and had the leaders in the crosshairs at the quarter pole. Four wide at the head of the lane as Santin displaced Bye Bye Melvin at the head of affairs, the $450,000 Keeneland September yearling hit the front under a right-handed stick outside the eighth pole and ran out a convincing winner over Hong Kong Harry (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}). Spooky Channel (English Channel) just outfinished Ocean Atlantique (American Pharoah) for third.

A maiden winner in five starts on the dirt to begin his career, Up to the Mark looked reinvented when hacking up by four lengths when trying the grass for the first time at Gulfstream Jan. 28. Doubling up at the next allowance level Mar. 4, he was bet all the way down into 5-1 against the likes of Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Apr. 14 GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland and just missed second behind the Eclipse Award winner.

“It unfolded beautifully,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, winning a third Turf Classic. “He got a really good trip, was able to save a little ground. The horse relaxed nicely and had a good turn of foot when called upon. We'll probably go to the [June 10 GI Resorts World Casino] Manhattan [S.] on Belmont Day next.”

Pedigree Notes:

Up to the Mark is the 25th stakes winner, 11th graded winner and fifth Grade I winner for Not This Time and his first on the turf. He is the Taylor Made stallion's second top-level scorer of 2023, joining Dubai Golden Shaheen hero Sibelius. Ghostzapper's daughters have now produced 33 BTWs, 18 GSWs and five Grade I winners, two others of which descend from the Storm Cat sire line and one of which is 2018 Derby winner Justify (Scat Daddy).

Up to the Mark is out of an unraced daughter of Robert and Lawana Lows' 1996 GI Test S. winner Capote Belle, who also produced SW & GSP Zapper Belle (Ghostzapper) and Gata Bella (Storm Cat), the dam of MGSW/MGISP Catapult (Kitten's Joy) and SW Ha Ha Tonka (Distorted Humor).

The 9-year-old Belle's Finale, who was purchased by Ramspring Farm carrying a year-older full-brother to Up to the Mark for $70,000 at Keeneland November in 2017, is also the dam of the 3-year-old filly Cookie Crumbs (Mendelssohn), a 2-year-old West Coast filly, a yearling colt by McKinzie and a Maxfield colt foaled Apr. 12.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
OLD FORESTER BOURBON TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $1,000,000, Churchill Downs, 5-6, 4yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.31, fm.
1–UP TO THE MARK, 123, c, 4, by Not This Time
               1st Dam: Belle's Finale, by Ghostzapper
               2nd Dam: Capote Belle, by Capote
               3rd Dam: Rythmical, by Fappiano
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($450,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable and St. Elias
Stable; B-Ramspring Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz,
Jr. $601,400. Lifetime Record: 9-4-0-2, $829,550. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hong Kong Harry (Ire), 123, g, 6, Es Que Love (Ire)–Vital Body
(Fr), by Gold Away (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (£185,000 RNA
4yo '21 GOFFLN; 85,000gns 4yo '21 TATAHI). O-Scott Anastasi,
Jimmy Ukegawa & Tony Valazza; B-Amarath Business
Management (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $194,000.
3–Spooky Channel, 123, g, 8, English Channel–Spooky Kitten, by
Kitten's Joy. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($10,000 Ylg '16 FTKOCT).
O-NBS Stable; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Jason Barkley. $97,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 1 1/4, HD. Odds: 2.63, 3.64, 4.37.
Also Ran: Ocean Atlantique, Santin, Wolfie's Dynaghost, Earls Rock (Ire), Bye Bye Melvin. Scratched: Master Piece (Chi), Steady On. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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No Immediate Plans For Pretty Mischievous Following Oaks

'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) was none the worse for her tough-trip victory in Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs as a group of onlookers congregated outside the barn of trainer Brendan Walsh Friday morning. It was a first win in America's premier race for the sophomore filly set for her owner/breeder Godolphin, Walsh, jockey Tyler Gaffalione and her all-conquering sire.

“We are very proud of what she has accomplished and it couldn't be more special winning this for Godolphin,” said Walsh, who spent many seasons working in Dubai for Sheikh Mohammed's team. “There are some big races that we'll look at coming up, but no decision has been made on her next start.”

Repole Stables' New York-bred Gambling Girl (Dialed In) covered herself in glory Friday afternoon, running on strongly to complete the Oaks exacta, the fifth filly to finish runner-up in the race for trainer Todd Pletcher to go along with his four winners.

“She was just excellent after the race,” Pletcher said. “She came out of it well.”

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