Aqueduct: Check out these 2 colts with Derby trail potential

Even though the allowance optional claimer for 2-year-olds at Aqueduct on Friday is a six-furlong event limited to New York-breds, Kentucky Derby trail watchers might want to pay attention to Elysian Meadows and Slammin Gold. These two well-bred colts have the talent and potential to compete at higher levels.

To start with Elysian Meadows, the son of City of Light made his debut locally on Nov. 18 in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint. In that first effort, Elysian Meadows put forth a steady bid from eighth to gradually make up ground on the turn and mow down the leader Big Prankster.

With that gradual move, Elysian Meadows went past Big Prankster to take the lead and break his maiden by a modest 1 1/4 lengths at the wire. Big Prankster broke his maiden in his next start on Dec. 2.

At this stage in Elysian Meadows's career, the speed figure does not matter because he remains in an early developmental mode, although he did receive an 83 on TimeformUS. For a first career start, the figure looks fine, and he can certainly build upon that number with experience.

From only a visual standpoint, Elysian Meadows gave the impression of a colt with big talent and high potential to route, which makes the cutback from 6 1/2 furlongs to only six furlongs Friday a bit strange.

Most closers who steadily make up ground approaching the turn in a sprint, rather than snapping into the front mix quickly, benefit from running in routes. The pace and flow of a route matches steadily grinding horses better, but a sprint pace ends up being too fast for a natural router.

On the bottom side of Elysian Meadow’s family, his dam side traces to Queen of the Night, who is a half-sister to Falbrav. Falbrav ran third in the 2003 Breeders’ Cup Turf before taking the Hong Kong Vase (G1) in his final start. Falbrav also won numerous other Group 1 route races. 

With Country House’s controversial Kentucky Derby victory in 2019, trainer Bill Mott has at least one of those trophies to his credit. If nothing else, Country House’s success shows that Mott knows how to navigate the trail.

If Elysian Meadows gets to route soon, expect him to excel. The steady move that he made in his debut indicates that more ground will suit him, and the pedigree on his bottom side backs up the idea he will handle long races.

As for Slammin Gold, he broke his maiden in his third start, which came on Nov. 4 in a local six-furlong maiden race also limited to New York-breds.

After sitting off the leader through moderate fractions, Slammin Gold went forward on the turn and drew clear under urging for a five-length win.

For the effort, Slammin Gold received a respectable 95 on TimeformUS.

Given the margin of victory and good speed figure in his debut, Slammin Gold has natural talent that may carry him far at the higher levels. His ability to show tactical speed and sit right off the leader will help him.

But one question is whether Slammin Gold can stretch out to longer distances on the trail with a dam who made her name as a successful sprinter or miler type who could occasionally stretch out to longer routes.

Slammin Gold is a son of Tapit out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Bar of Gold. Although Bar of Gold’s pedigree hinted at a runner with stamina, her best work came in races around seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. Bar of Gold won the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint to cap off her successful career.

The male names in Slammin Gold's immediate family offer comfort, at least in terms of route potential. Tapit has sired multiple Belmont Stakes winners, and Medaglia d’Oro also counts as a major route influence with several graded-stakes route winners in his sire career. 

For this Friday’s six-furlong optional-claiming race, Slammin Gold figures run well again at the sprint distance, especially since he broke his maiden in a sprint. If he continues to progress, the connections including trainer John Kimmel should feel the pressure of the long Derby trail. 

In any case, Slammin Gold's future seems bright. Expect him to make noise, whether it comes in dirt routes on the trail or other kinds of races.