Chad Brown colt impresses while breaking maiden at Aqueduct

A 2-year-old trained by Chad Brown won an $80,000 maiden race going 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct on Sunday, looking like a possible Kentucky Derby contender in the process.

Risk Taking, a $240,000 son of Medaglia d’Oro out of Run a Risk, by Distorted Humor, settled into fourth place out of the gate, at the rear of a four-horse pack that quickly left the rest of the field behind.

The colt moved into third place near the 3/4 pole, then came out of the far turn on the outside. Jockey Jose Lezcano urged him forward from that point, and Risk Taking took the lead at the one-mile mark, coasting to victory from there, winning by 2 1/4 lengths.

It was Risk Taking’s third attempt at breaking his maiden. Last time out he finished in sixth place at Aqueduct on Nov. 14, going 1 1/16 miles. Before that, he debuted at Belmont Park on Oct. 10, finishing in seventh place in a six-furlong race. 

Todd Pletcher originally had two possible Derby hopefuls entered in the race, but Constitutional Law, a full brother of Constitution, scratched before post time after opening as the morning line second choice at 7-2.

The other Pletcher contender, Unbridled Honor, was the race favorite both on the morning line at 3-1 and at post time, going off at 9-5. Piloted by Manny Franco, the son of Honor Code out of Silvery Starlet was unable to make much noise in the race, finishing a distant fourth.

Circa Sports did not have Risk Taking listed on its board when its first Kentucky Derby futures pool opened last week. He also was not part of the official Kentucky Derby Future Wager’s first pool, which closed on Nov. 29.

Medaglia d’Oro was listed in the Kentucky Derby Future Sire Wager, which also closed on Nov. 29. His final odds were 35-1 odds and a $2 bet would pay $72 if one of his offspring wins the Run for the Roses in May.

The colt is owned by Klaravich Stables, purchased by agent Mike Ryan at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.