Calhoun charting 2020 course for By My Standards, Mr. Money

Allied Racing Stable LLC’s 2019 Louisiana Derby (G2) upsetter By My Standards recently returned to the Fair Grounds work tab as he eases his way into his 4-year-old campaign for trainer Bret Calhoun.

A 22-1 winner of Fair Grounds’ signature event off just a maiden score in the race prior, the 3-year-old son of Goldencents was a “buzz” horse entering the Kentucky Derby. He finished 11th and hasn’t run since the first Saturday in May.

“The main reason we backed off of him is we had those foot issues with him,” Calhoun said Saturday morning. “He had a quarter crack and we knew we were going to miss some of the races we were going to point him towards so we just decided not to fight that and let him rest and recover the rest of the year.”

A three-furlong breeze in :37 logged Thursday at Fair Grounds was his second since returning to serious training.

“He’s doing really well,” said Calhoun. “He’s had a couple of works and has gone about as easy as we can get him to go. He’s been jumping out of his skin and has been thriving in the morning. He’s really grown up and we‘re looking for a good 4-year-old campaign with him.

“We always thought he’d be a better 4-year-old and older horse to begin with,” Calhoun continued. “He turned out to be a pretty good 3-year-old as well so we’re really excited to see him at four.”

At present, By My Standards’ career record stands at 6: 2-2-1 with earnings of $653,710. A $150,000 Ocala April 2-year-old in training purchase, the son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents is out of the graded stakes placed mare A Jealous Woman.

A comeback race for By My Standards hasn’t been circled on the calendar, but Calhoun has an idea of when he’d like to have him racing again.

“There’s some races at Fair Grounds we can look to and have in mind”, said Calhoun. “I don't think you’ll see him until somewhere in the early February time frame as long as everything goes to plan and he’s ready by then. He’s physically matured and just looks like a bigger, better horse so if we can stay on schedule with him we think he’s going to have a great campaign.”

Following a 3-year-old campaign that saw him win four consecutive Grade 3 races, Allied Racing Stable LLC and Spendthrift Farm LLC’s Mr. Money is enjoying some well-deserved time off, Calhoun said.

“He obviously had a strong 3-year-old year,” the trainer added. “Sort of the same thing as By My Standards. They’re both out of the same sire, and we think Mr. Money could be even better at 4 and 5 as well. He’s been off for about 30 days now and I think we’ll give him another 30 off. He was sound when we sent him to the sidelines. We just want to freshen him and keep him happy and healthy.”

The winner of the Pat Day Mile (G3) and Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill Downs, the Indiana Derby (G3) at Indiana Grand and the West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer in succession, Mr. Money concluded his stellar sophomore campaign with a second in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx and a seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita.

Mr. Money has put together a career record of 12: 5-3-0 thus far with career earnings of $1,287,220.