Kentucky Derby 2020 Radar: Calhoun has two names to know

Ever since Mailman Money and Digital ran 1-2 in their respective debuts on Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs, trainer Bret Calhoun has had them on similar schedules. Going into the new year, that could also mean a try next at the 2020 Kentucky Derby trail.

Despite being similar in name, sire Goldencents and the same owner as multiple graded winner Mr. Money, Chester Thomas’ Allied Racing, Mailman Money was dismissed as a 24.5-1 winner going six furlongs, with Calhoun stablemate Digital second by ¾ of a length.

Digital, an Into Mischief colt campaigned by Tom Durant, came back to win last Saturday at second asking over a muddy Fair Grounds track.

“We might do one thing with one of them and something with the other to keep them apart,” Calhoun said. “There’s a good chance we could enter both of them in the allowance race. If that doesn’t go, we could possibly end up in the Lecomte.”

The Grade 3, $200,000 race runs Jan. 18 and has been extended from its traditional 1-mile, 70-yard distance to 1 1/16 miles. The Lecomte precedes the Risen Star (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2) as points-paying preps at Fair Grounds.

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Calhoun and Alied Racing won their first Louisiana Derby in 2019 with By My Standards, who went on to start in the Kentucky Derby.

“It’s early on, but we’ve got some hope right now,” Calhoun said of going back. “We’ve got something to point to.”

A $150,000 purchase as a 2-year-old in training, Mailman Money was a main track-only entrant to follow up his maiden victory in a race last Saturday at Fair Grounds. He scratched when it didn’t come off the turf.

There exists a scenario where the once-raced Mailman Money goes in an upcoming two-turn allowance race the day before the Lecomte, while Digital runs in the Derby prep that awards points on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the Top 4 finishers.

“I don’t know if that race will make or not,” Calhoun said of Mailman Money, “but that would be my first option. If that race doesn’t go, I’m going to have to consider running in the Lecomte.

“...I’d hate to do that, stretching him out the first time two turns in the second outing of his life in that race.”

Mailman Money stalked the pace and moved to the lead with a three-wide bid in his only start, then held Digital at bay. Digital took a similar trip going the same six-furlong distance on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

“He’s fortunate that he’s had two races instead of one,” Calhoun said of Digital. “He’s got a little bit more seasoning, a little bit more conditioning -- so that helps. He was much more forward of a horse -- an earlier developing, faster horse.”

While plans are pending for these colts’ immediate futures, he said he’d like to continue them in more serious Derby preps either at Fair Grounds or Oaklawn Park.