Barn Tour: Beckman updates on Derby starters, other top runners

Whit Beckman has risen quickly in the training ranks since having five starts in 2021, his first year with a license. Three years later, he had his first Kentucky Derby runner, and he had his second one this year.

“Good horses take you to amazing places,” Beckman told Horse Racing Nation this week.

He’s up to about 60 horses in training, about twice as many as last spring. It’s “a very manageable number,” he said.

“Growth is inevitable, I think we can handle more, but for right now we're happy with where we're at, just kind of scaling appropriately,” Beckman said. “It's all been organic, we're not really trying to like define anything in terms of what we want, as far as we can attract the right people and find the space to put things. We're still OK with growth, but there will be a limit at some point.”

Beckman provided updates on his Kentucky Derby starters and other notable horses in his stable for the latest in HRN’s Barn Tour series.

Flying Mohawk. This 3-year-old Karakontie colt had his first seven starts on turf before finishing second in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) and qualifying for the Kentucky Derby, where he finished 18th. “There's only one race you're really going to take a swing at, and that's the Kentucky Derby,” said Beckman, a Louisville, Ky., native. “We took our shot. Derby is the Derby. … The horse didn't run great, but he came out of it in great shape. I don't think we left anything on the table. We know he doesn't like dirt now, so just got to move on and put him where he belongs, back on the grass.” Flying Mohawk is entered in Saturday’s American Derby at Churchill Downs, but Beckman said he probably will run him in the Belmont Derby (G1) at Saratoga on July 4.

Drexel Hill. This 3-year-old filly by Bolt d’Oro rallied to finish second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) after a win in the Busher Stakes. “She ran fantastic in the Oaks. We were super proud of her effort that day. She needed a little time after it, came out with a very tiny chip. We removed it surgically, and she's probably another two weeks away from coming back in.”

Simply Joking. A 3-year-old Practical Joke filly, her first two starts were black-type stakes wins at Fair Grounds, followed by a second-place finish after a duel with Quietside in the Fantasy (G2). Then she was 18th on a wet, fast track in the Kentucky Oaks. “We were a little disappointed with the draw and the conditions (for the Kentucky Oaks), just kind of everything didn't work out in her favor. But she had been an ultra-impressive filly to that point. I think she's extremely talented and I think she's got a really bright future ahead. But also right after the Oaks, she came up with a very small flake in her ankle that we had to just pull out.” She’s expected back in three weeks to a month.

Honor Marie. The 4-year-old Honor Code colt was eighth in the Kentucky Derby, fourth in the Belmont Stakes, and eighth in the Travers (G1) before getting a break. “He's just a really solid animal. I love having him around, love training him. After the Travers last year, we gave him time off, brought him back at Oaklawn,” where he was third in a black-type stakes on March 29. “He ran just OK, kind of a little subpar, needed one to kind of get off the bench. Then I brought him back to Churchill in the Isaac Murphy Marathon and he won, and he's been doing fantastic since then. We're pointing him towards the Suburban (G2) in New York, July 4th.”

Zadorsky. This 4-year-old filly by Tapiture has won her last two starts, an optional-claiming allowance at Churchill Downs on May 30 and a Keeneland allowance in April. “Zadorsky, she's really had a great year. We took her to New Orleans last year, tried her two turns a couple times, didn't really suit her. But then once we got her back up here, at Keeneland, we ran her about seven furlongs in the slop. She aired, she ran fantastic. And then we brought her back to pretty much the same spot at Churchill in the slop, and she also galloped that day. She's been looking fantastic. We're looking at some races at Saratoga, not exactly sure if she's going to get into a stakes or an allowance next, but she'll be running up in New York.”

Hollygrove. This 3-year-old Complexity filly has finished in the money in five of her six career starts, including a third-place result last out in the Miss Preakness (G3). “Ran really good that day, kind of got on the lead, where we didn't intend her being, and I thought ran a real legitimate race. She's pointed towards the Victory Ride on July 3 in New York, another 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3.”