We the People, a promising 3-year-old colt owned by a partnership that includes WinStar Farm, scored a second impressive win Saturday from as many career starts, both at Oaklawn Park, and is headed to a major Kentucky Derby (G1) points race, but when and where haven't been decided, trainer Rodolphe Brisset said Sunday morning.
Ridden by Florent Geroux, the son of WinStar stallion Constitution scored by five lengths from five overmatched rivals in Saturday's fourth race, a 1 1/16 mile allowance optional claiming event. He pressed soft fractions of :23.88 and :48.70 for the first half mile and wrested command by a head as six furlongs went in 1:13.32 before drawing clear through the stretch. Time was 1:43.66 on a fast track. He earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure.
We the People came in to the Saturday's race off a 5 3/4-length triumph under a hand ride from Geroux his career debut Feb. 12 at the Hot Springs, Arkansas track, going one mile 1:38.93 while upstaging 10 competitors.
“That was the whole plan, be able to gain some seasoning, some experience,” Brisset said. “He broke maybe a step slower than last time and then he didn't make the lead. But Flo got him into the race pretty good and let him do his thing. He didn't use the whip, got him to work through the wire and even an extra sixteenth. Now, we're going to see how he came out of it this morning and the next couple of days we'll have to make some plans, I guess.”
Brisset said the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 2 and $1 million Blue Grass Stakes (G1) April 9 at Keeneland “would be our first choice,” with the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) April 9 and the $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) April 9 at Aqueduct also on the table. All four 1 1/8-mile races will offer 170 points (100-40-20-10) to their top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the May 7 Kentucky Derby. We the People likely would need a top-two finish to secure a spot in the May 7 Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 starters.
“We're right in the middle,” Brisset said. “Oaklawn's right in the middle, so we can go left or we can go right. But I think we're going to let the horse tell us. Three weeks to the Arkansas Derby can be a little tricky, but after that we've got five weeks for the big one if he does run 1-2. The four weeks, four weeks is not a bad thing, either, for the Blue Grass. Now, we have to ship him back home. He knows the track there.”
Bred in Kentucky by Henley Farms Inc., We the People is out of the Tiznow mare Letchworth, whose dam is Grade 1 winner Harmony Lodge. Offered at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Florida March sale of select 2-year-olds in training by Eddie Woods, he was bought for $230,000 by Kenny Trout's WinStar Farm, which campaigns him with partners CMNWLTH (Brian Doxtator and Chase Chamberlin) and Siena Farm (Anthony Manganaro).
Brisset said Yuugiri, his top Kentucky Oaks (G1) prospect, worked well Friday (a half-mile in :48.20) and he's “taking a strong look” at the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles April 2. Yuugiri, in her 2022 debut, finished third in the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 26. The Honeybee and Fantasy are Oaklawn's final two major preps for the Kentucky Oaks.
Yuugiri has 14 points to rank 16th on the official Kentucky Oaks leaderboard released Saturday by Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Oaks, the nation's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies, is limited to 14 starters.
The Fantasy will offer 170 points (100-40-20-10) to its top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the May 6 Kentucky Oaks.
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