Kentucky Derby 2019 Radar: Plenty of options for Classy John

Known for his longshot Triple Crown series runners, trainer Dallas Stewart says there’s hope that his Louisiana-bred Classy John will stretch his talent farther.

“We’ll find out sooner or later,”  Stewart said of the Sonandaprayer colt, who’s 3-for-4. “He likes to win, and we like that about him.”

Stewart is mulling what to do next with the Valene Farms runner, who scored at 1-9 last Saturday in Fair Grounds’ Louisiana Futurity. He also struck while odds-on in the Dec. 8 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile.

There’s another state-bred race, the $100,000 Prince run in Louisiana-Bred Premier Night Jan. 25 at Delta Downs — and Stewart said “that might be the most logical spot at this point.”

But Derby fever is common this time of year, and Classy John has proven quite competitive outside of state-bred competition.

The mere $12,000 purchase earned all that back and more for connections on debut when he won a maiden special weight flight on Aug. 25 to open Travers Stakes day at Saratoga. He then graduated to take on winners Nov. 10 at Churchill Downs, where Classy John set swift fractions on the lead and held for second in allowance optional claiming company.

Stewart also mentioned Fair Grounds’ Jan. 12 Lecomte Stakes (G3) as an option. As one of 100 early bird nomination to the Louisiana Derby (G2), Classy John’s fee for that race is already paid. The Lecomte kicks off the colt’s home state path to the 2019 Kentucky Derby that also includes the Risen Star Stakes (G2). 

Or, Delta Downs' Prince could lead to a start in a race like Oaklawn Park's Rebel Stakes (G2) on March 16.

“We’ll just have to wait and see,” Stewart said. “We’ll monitor him — see how it goes.”

Stewart last saddled a Derby starter in 2016, when Tom’s Racing finished 16th. But two longshots before him, Golden Soul (2013) and Commanding Curve (2014), both ran second. Additionally, Tale of Verve ran second at 28-1 to American Pharoah in the 2015 Preakness Stakes.

A former assistant to Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, Stewart’s mantra is similar to his mentor when it comes to trying a horse like Classy John against, well, classy competition.

“It’s just horse racing,” he said. “You’ve got to race them and see.”