Kentucky Derby 2019 Daily: McLaughlin's single paying off

Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, which will each day leading up to the May 4 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin went all in on Haikal, the only horse from his barn nominated this year to the Triple Crown series.

Already qualified on points for the 2019 Kentucky Derby, the Shadwell Stable homebred still has to prove himself worthy from a selective conditioner pending the results of Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial.

“We feel like he might even get better going farther,” McLaughlin said. “You never know, but he should at least be able to handle nine furlongs.”

Already, the colt has broken his maiden going six furlongs, won the Jimmy Winkfield stakes next out at seven furlongs and then stretched to a one-turn mile in the March 9 Gotham Stakes (G3).

Making his graded debut, the son of Daaher came blazing three-wide down the stretch in the final strides, clipping Mind Control at the wire. Nearly a month later, the 3-year-old career earner of $298,900 sits comfortably at eighth on the Derby points leaderboard with 50 accumulated.

Each of Haikal’s four career starts have come at Aqueduct. There remains a new variable, however, in his Wood Memorial try.

“We need to see how he handles two turns,” McLaughlin said. “We’re confident. We’ll see where we are Saturday.”

Haikal’s advantage in the Wood may come from a fast pace set. A raging opening quarter mile in 22.36 seconds set up his rally in the Gotham, in which he rallied from 14 lengths off the early lead.

“Obviously we’re not going to get a 44 half in the Wood Memorial, but hopefully there’s plenty of speed, and he’s not quite as far back,” said McLaughlin.

McLaughlin, a native of Lexington, Ky., has started eight horses in the Derby with back-to-back fourth place finishes in 2015 and 2016 with Frosted and Mohaymen.

Haikal shares bloodlines with another colt who tested the trail, the ill-dated Takaful, who went on to become a Grade 1-winning sprinter.

“His brother was just very, very difficult,” McLaughlin said. “He was a runoff and just was tough to train. This horse is the opposite. He does everything right. Different horse — got a great mind.”

The works begin

Todd Pletcher-trained Spinoff, the Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up, on Wednesday became the first horse pointing to the Kentucky Derby to log a workout since his final prep, breezing a half mile at Palm Beach Downs in 48.85 seconds.

With the bullet from six posted times, well, that's getting the job done so far.

Who's the favorite?

WLKY's Fred Cowgill spoke with Mike Battaglia, morning line maker for the Kentucky Derby, after Wednesday's Blue Grass Stakes (G2) post position draw at Keeneland.

While Battaglia seems to believe the Florida Derby (G1) winner Maximum Security is legit, he said Game Winner is running for favoritism in Saturday's Santa Anita Derby (G1).

Derby links

• Will they get the distance? Pedigree analyst Laurie Ross asked the question of four recent Derby prep winners.

• With five points races left to run, The Pressbox's Gene McLean is confident in saying he's found four horses to toss from the Kentucky Derby -- and one will surprise you.

• So if you're looking to bet, interests are set for Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager running this weekend.

In case you missed it...

Tuesday's Derby Daily report led with trainer Bob Baffert's comments on his 3-year-olds still on the trail, with plenty about Game Winner and Roadster, his other Santa Anita Derby runner.