Stars align to win the 2015 Run for the Roses?
Fast forward to May 03, 2015 -- Do the morning headlines say International Star provided the nation’s leading owner-breeders with the one prominent grade one victory that has thus far managed to elude them?
In addition, as brilliant as the horse might appear in victory, perhaps the light of another star could also shine bright upon the day. We might say that for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, the question is not whether or not they will win Derby someday, but when will they win Derby?
We might also say the same about jockey Miguel Mena.
Mena was aboard the Michael Maker trained son of Fusaichi Pegasus for the score in last Saturday's grade three Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Mena, a native of Lima, Peru initially began riding in the U.S. in 2003. In the years since, Mena has added several major stakes wins to his resume.
He is the proud father of two beautiful daughters, Naelah two years, four months and Montserrat, 10 months. In his time away from the races, you might see Mena with his girls in a small wagon as he pulls them around the streets of New Orleans.
If his riding career ever needs a boost, perhaps his poker skills will suffice as an alternate means to create revenue. He is passionate about soccer, and his favorite team is Barcelona.
As of today, Miguel Mena has won riding titles at Presque Isle (2007), the Turfway Holiday Meet (2006) and Ellis Park (2006). His records for earnings put him between 33rd and 55th in the nation for every year since 2007.
With wins in races like the Las Vegas Marathon, Illinois Derby, Bashford Manor, Hawthorne Gold Cup, Stephen Foster and Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes somehow Miguel has yet to come up with that breakthrough horse.
Will International Star be that horse for Mena? He spoke out about how he felt International Star compared with the better horses he had ridden in the past.
“I think he can be as good as anything I’ve ever ridden,” said Mena “He was really an easy horse to ride. He handled the turns very well and it is great when you save the ground during the race.”
If not this year, as with the Ramseys, we may just be on the verge of finding Mena in the winner’s circle for some of this nation’s biggest races, the Classics.
As for Mena's thoughts surrounding the horse’s ability to get a mile and a quarter. “The colt had a very strong gallop out following this race” and “he shipped back to Florida the following day.” Knowing that might leave you feeling like there was still a little gas in the tank after the Lecomte.
Speaking of stars, the Risen Star is the next stop for Derby hopefuls at the Louisiana oval. Set to run March 21, and if all goes right, we will have an opportunity to see if International Star and Miguel Mena can add to the point total used in determining a start in the 2015 Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May.
Vicar's In Trouble, a son of Into Mischief made these very same engagements for the Ramsey and Maker team in 2014. Ultimately, I believed that Vicar's In Troubles sprint based pedigree limited his performances at the classic distances.
I do not expect that to be the case here, in fact as International Star's races get longer, they may also become more to his liking. His sire, Fusaichi Pegasus, seemed to relish the 1¼ miles of the Kentucky Derby, when he won the race fifteen years ago in May.