Barn Tour: Moving on, Joseph updates on 6 stakes horses

An interview with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. these days has to start with a question about how he feels about his experience at Churchill Downs in the spring.

After two horses in his care suffered sudden deaths, he was suspended from the track, where he planned to run Lord Miles in the Kentucky Derby, White Abarrio in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs and Master Piece in the Turf Classic (G1). After no conclusive reasons were found for the horses’ deaths, Joseph was reinstated last week.

That’s a blow, certainly. But Joseph didn’t want to talk about it with Horse Racing Nation on Monday. There’s no point, he said. His faith is strong, and he wants to move forward.

White Abarrio was transferred to trainer Richard Dutrow along with another of Joseph’s horses, Master Piece, though owner C2 Racing said, “We have the utmost confidence and trust in Saffie Joseph Jr. and his team.”

Joseph provided updates on Lord Miles and other talent in his stable for an HRN Barn Tour feature.

Lord Miles. The Curlin colt qualified for the Kentucky Derby with his win by a nose at 59-1 in the Wood Memorial (G3). He returned in the June 24 Ohio Derby (G3), finishing fourth. “Obviously he met two superior horses,” Joseph said, “and it had been a while since he ran, so he ran a distant fourth. But glad to get a race back in him, and it'll bring him on. Probably point towards the West Virginia Derby.” The Grade 3 race is Aug. 6.

Skippylongstocking. The 4-year-old son of Exaggerator was fifth last out in the Ben Ali (G3) after winning the Challenger (G3) in March. He’s entered in Saturday’s Cornhusker Handicap (G3) at Prairie Meadows. “It's a good spot for him. It's a competitive race, but we had success there last year, we won it, so we wanted to take the horse back this year again. We think he's the right horse.”

Imonra. This 3-year-old daughter of Violence broke her maiden on fourth try in April and came back to win an optional-claiming allowance in May at Gulfstream. She’s entered in the Iowa Oaks (G3) on Saturday. “She's won her last two. Since we stretched her out (to a mile), she seems to have gotten much better. And I think she goes there with a very good chance on Saturday.”

West Coast Cowboy. The 3-year-old West Coast colt won an optional-claiming allowance last out in April after finishing seventh in the Florida Derby (G1). Before that, he was fourth in the Holy Bull (G3). He’s entered in the Iowa Derby on Saturday. “It's a very competitive race this time. So we'll see how he gets on. … He was outclassed in (the Florida Derby) but came out to a more realistic spot in the allowance. And now he's back in the Iowa Derby, give him a chance there.”

Rombauer. The 2021 Preakness winner hasn’t raced since finishing third in the Belmont Stakes that year, and he recently joined Joseph’s barn. He had his first work for his new trainer Sunday, breezing three furlongs in 37.93 seconds at Gulfstream. “I’ll kind of keep him on a weekly schedule and see where we're at with him in like four or five weeks.”

Second I.D. This 3-year-old son of Maclean’s Music won his June 9 debut by 7 3/4 lengths. “I think he's a nice colt. Hopefully go through the allowance ranks with him and then get him into stakes company if he proves to be that. We think he is a stakes horse.”

Asked about promising 2-year-olds, Joseph pointed to Mystic Lake, a 2-year-old daughter of Mo Town. She’s had five works at Palm Meadows, most recently breezing three furlongs in 37.90 seconds Friday. “She looks like she could be early for us, maybe in like a couple weeks.”