Beckman considers options for Kentucky Derby, Oaks hopefuls
Honor Marie was back to the win column in Saturday’s $125,000 Dust Commander, a 1 1/16-mile route for older horses over the Turfway Park synthetic.
Trained by Whit Beckman, the 5-year-old Honor Code gelding was making his second start on synthetic after a fifth in the 1 1/4-mile Boone County in December at Turfway, and he closed from last-of-10 to win by 4 1/2 lengths under Joe Ramos, earning a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form in victory. The bay is 15: 4-2-1 overall with $867,015 in earnings, including a win in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club in November 2023 at Churchill Downs.
“The first time we ran him on the poly, he didn’t get much of a trip. He kind of got bottled up on the turn. Told Joe last night, no matter what, just keep him moving forward,” Beckman said. “He drew off and won in fine fashion, so I’m really happy with the effort. He’s a barn favorite and was my first Kentucky Derby horse. We just appreciate him always showing up for us.”
Honor Marie was eighth to Mystik Dan in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, and Beckman sent out Flying Mohawk to 18th last year in the run for the roses. The trainer hopes to make it three years in a row with a contender in the starting gate and is eyeing the Derby trail with Hulkamania and continuing on with Ocelli, who was off the board last out in the listed Sam F. Davis on Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs.
Hulkamania has made one start, a four-length maiden victory sprinting seven furlongs on Feb. 8 at Tampa Bay Downs. The McKinzie bay will be nominated to Aqueduct’s Gotham (G3), a one-turn mile on Feb. 28 and a 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifier, but he might need more time.
“We have to breeze first, so I don’t know about the Gotham. It’s back a little quick, a long ship. I’ll see how the field is shaping up and make decisions closer to post time,” Beckman said. “It’d be logical to take him back to Tampa, some of the Florida preps might be more attractive from a shipping standpoint. We will see how he comes back, get him breezing, and make a decision. Between Arkansas, Florida, New York, Virginia … I mean, there’s so many options.”
Ocelli is still a maiden, having made three starts prior to his last out 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis try. The plan could be the $500,000 Virginia Derby on March 14 at Colonial Downs, a 50-25-15-10-5 qualifier for the Kentucky Derby.
“Nominated him to the Gotham prior to his last race just in case,” Beckman said. “We may look at Virginia with him.”
On the Gotham undercard is also the listed $200,000 Busher, a one-turn mile for sophomore fillies, which awards 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points to the top five finishers. Beckman captured this race last year with Drexel Hill, who was second in the Kentucky Oaks, and nominated Blazing Brat and stakes-placed Nycon to this year’s edition.
Blazing Brat was second last out in the six-furlong Sandpiper on Dec. 6 at Tampa. The Beau Liam dark bay was making her first dirt start after four outings on synthetic, including a third-out graduation in August at Presque Isle Downs.
“If either of them come (for the Busher), it’d be Blazing Brat. Nycon, I think she probably wants to go two turns next time. For her to capitalize on points, we may have to wait for a race that’s a little longer,” Beckman said. “Blazing Brat may really like it, so she is a possibility.”