Collusion Illusion shifts Derby trail plans, aims for Allen Jerkens

The last we heard about Collusion Illusion, he had just won the Grade 3 Laz Barrera Stakes, and trainer Mark Glatt was thinking about pursuing a path to the 2020 Kentucky Derby.

Those plans have changed.

"We're going to keep the horse sprinting," Glatt said Sunday. "And we're looking at the Allen Jerkens on Aug. 1 at Saratoga."

Collusion Illusion won easily in the 6 1/2-furlong Laz Barrera at Santa Anita on June 20, rolling to a 3 1/2-length victory over rival Ragtime Blues.

It was the fourth win in five starts for the son of Twirling Candy, and all of those wins were in sprints. His only start around two turns came in last September's American Pharoah (G1), when he was pulled up by jockey Flavien Prat and walked off the course.

Still, Glatt said after the Laz Barrera that the Kentucky Derby was "on our radar." The plan was "to stretch him out and figure out how to get enough points."

But on Sunday, Glatt said: "I don’t know that he’ll ever run a (mile and a quarter). And with the Derby of course being a mile and a quarter, I don’t know how much that’s in our plans. We’re kind of taking one race at a time.

"He’s a little bit behind the eight ball from having enough two-turn experience anyway. And with a Grade 1 sitting right before our eyes in a race that he looks like he’s going to be a very live horse in, we just feel like at this time, it’s best to keep him at what’s been working very well, and that’s around one turn."

Collusion Illusion, owned by Dan J. Agnew, Rodney E. Orr, Jerry Schneider and John V. Xitco, is "very forward-training," Glatt said.

"He trains very strongly, gallops very strongly. He's a good workhorse. He kind of does everything the right way."

Collusion Illusion's wins include last year's Best Pal (G2) at Del Mar, and he has banked $248,751. He was a $300,000 auction purchase by Glatt, serving as agent, at last year's OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale.