Kentucky Derby 2018 Daily: Good Magic’s plan promising
Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, which will each day leading up to the May 5 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.
While seven of 10 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winners before Good Magic waited at least 60 days before their next starts, the current 2-year-old champion will go nearly twice that — 119 days without a race — as he heads into Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Such a break led to recent success in the Kentucky Derby.
Street Sense won the Juvenile, run Nov. 4, 2006, at Churchill Downs, and wasn’t back to the races until the Tampa Bay Derby the following March 17. The colt moved on to the Blue Grass Stakes next out at Keeneland (then over Polytrack) and went on to score in the 2007 Derby.
Good Magic’s Juvenile win also came on Nov. 4, albeit at Del Mar. He too is expected to proceed from Florida to Kentucky for the Blue Grass (now on dirt) as a final prep.
Granted, Street Sense had more foundation — five starts — as a 2-year-old. Good Magic has raced just three times, with the Juvenile also marking his maiden victory.
Street Sense won his Tampa Bay Derby by a nose. If Good Magic prevails by a similar margin Saturday, well, you heard the comparison here first.
How other Juvenile winners on the Derby trail have returned as sophomores since 2000:
Year | Juvenile Winner | Race | Finish | Odds |
2017 | Classic Empire | Holy Bull | 3 (8 ¾) | 1-2 |
2016 | Nyquist | San Vicente | 1 (1 ½) | 2-5 |
2015 | Texas Red | San Vicente | 2 (neck) | 3-5 |
2013 | Shanghai Bobby | Holy Bull | 2 (2) | 1-1 |
2012 | Hansen | Holy Bull | 2 (5) | 4-5 |
2011 | Uncle Mo | Timely Writer | 1 (3 ¾) | 1-9 |
2008 | War Pass | Allowance | 1 (7 ½) | 1-9 |
2007 | Street Sense | Tampa Derby | 1 (nose) | 7-5 |
2006 | Stevie Wonderboy | San Rafael | 2 (1 ½) | 3-5 |
2004 | Action This Day | Sham | 4 (1 ¼) | 9-5 |
2002 | Johannesburg | Gladness | 2 (nose) | 1-5 |
2000 | Anees | San Felipe | 3 (3 ¾) | 7-2 |
Fountain of Youth insights
In their look at the weekend’s lone Derby prep, HRN’s Ashley Tamulonis and Laurie Ross also provide Fountain of Youth picks. HRN’s Reinier Macatangay sees one contender flying under the radar. And the Super Screener handicapping tool backs him up with Storm Runner a top longshot.
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Derby links
• We’re just more than a week away from the busiest Saturday yet on the Derby trail featuring three points-paying races: the Grade 2 San Felipe, Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby and Grade 3 Gotham. HRN’s Stakes Tracker has an updated look at the prospective fields for each.
• Fountain of Youth notes from Gulfstream Park feature Strike Power, who’s stretching to two turns Saturday, along with trainer Dale Romans’ trio of Free Drop Billy, Promises Fulfilled and Storm Runner. The latter horse is seen as an upset threat, and Romans says “he’s the one who has made the big turn from 2 to 3.”
• Storm Runner’s purchase price was just $5,000. On the other end of the spectrum, $1.5 million Curlin’s Honor is also expected to hit the Derby trail off an allowance victory. David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse, said, “We’ll get him going around two turns now and see where he takes us.”
• Another highly regarded horse, Exclamation Point, could take a step toward getting a chance in a late Derby prep. The half brother to champion Classic Empire will route for the first time Saturday at Oaklawn Park, where trainer Brad Cox says “we’re just looking for a good effort.”
The works
Ax Man — He burned out on the front end of the Grade 2 San Vicente but will have the opportunity to relax next out around two turns. The race hasn’t yet been named, but he continued working Wednesday by clicking through 5/8 of a mile in 1:00.80 (16/50) at Santa Anita.
Enticed — He’ll have the chance to bounce back from a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Holy Bull as a Gotham contender. His second work back measured five furlongs in 1:01.85 (3/9) on Friday at the Palm Meadows Training Center.
Higher Power — Donnie Von Hemel sent out a sharp worker Tuesday toward Oaklawn’s Rebel, with the son of Medaglia d’Oro going through 5/8 in 1:00.80 (3/47). This one comes out of an allowance-level win over the track and will be fresh having last run Jan. 13.
Lombo — The Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis winner, continuing his preparation for next weekend’s San Felipe, traveled a half mile Thursday at Santa Anita in 49.60 seconds (75/116). Notably, he worked from the gate after winning his last two starts thanks to sharp breaks.
Zatter — Second to Bolt d’Oro in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, then off the board in the FrontRunner Stakes, he’s back on the work tab for the first time since September with a Thursday breeze at Los Alamitos. The Bob Baffert trainee drilled an easy three furlongs in 37.60 seconds (12/17).
In case you missed it…
Thursday’s Derby Daily report featured the future of Instilled Regard, who dropped down Kentucky Derby lists following a defeat in the Grade 2 Risen Star. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer will keep him on the trail.
• Catch up with all the latest Derby news by reading past editions of HRN’s Derby Daily report.