Delta Prince, Maker's 46 Mile rivals eye Churchill's Turf Classic next

Stronach Stable’s Delta Prince was scheduled to leave Keeneland at 2 p.m. Saturday to return to New York the day after his last-to-first dash to victory in the $300,000 Maker’s 46 Mile (G1).

“He looks good this morning,” said trainer James Jerkens, who had a noon flight from Louisville to New York. Plans are to be determined for Delta Prince, who posted his first Grade 1 victory Friday as the 8-5 favorite.

“I would say he probably would not go to the Churchill race,” Jerkens said, referring to the $1 million Old Forester Turf Classic (G1) to be run at 1 1/8 miles on May 4. “I’d like to take another shot at the Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga, where he just got beat last year.”

In Friday’s victory, Delta Prince was last in the field of seven at the head of the stretch but rallied past the field under Javier Castellano to win by 1½ lengths over 46-1 shot Clyde’s Image.

“That horse was making a nice progression, and he sure looked the part yesterday,” Jerkens said of the runner-up, who was making his Grade 1 debut.

Tom Bush, who trains Clyde’s Image for Sullimar Stable, was not surprised by the 5-year-old gelding’s effort.

“I was real confident he would run well,” Bush said. “The only question was if he was good enough.

“He really fought hard for second. He was a little farther back early, but they were going at a good clip up front. On the far turn, it looked like Qurbaan was going better than he was, but my horse kept fighting and got second.”

Bush said he might send Clyde’s Image back to New York on Monday or stay at Keeneland for the time being.

“The race at Churchill is not out of the question,” Bush said, referring to the Old Forester Turf Classic. “I will have to study that one pretty good.”

Shadwell Stable’s Qurbaan also is considered possible for the Old Forester Turf Classic, according to Roger Horgan, assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

“He may stay here and then ship over to Churchill the Monday of (Kentucky) Derby Week when Kiaran ships Haikal in for the Derby (G1),” Horgan said. “He is pretty lightly raced for a horse his age (six).”

Qurbaan briefly stuck his nose in front in the stretch before settling for third.

“We’ve got no complaints about yesterday,” Horgan said. “Halfway on the turn, I saw (jockey) Irad (Ortiz Jr.) look back, and I thought we were in good shape. He just got beat by a better horse.”

Making his first start since winning the Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar in December, Peter Brant’s Raging Bull was fourth in the Maker’s 46 Mile. 

“I was disappointed he didn’t win, but he has a race under his belt now and we’ll go from here,” trainer Chad Brown said about Raging Bull, who won his career debut at Keeneland a year ago.

Brown said depending on how Raging Bull comes out of yesterday’s race, he would take a look at the Old Forester Turf Classic for the colt’s next start.

Defending champion Heart to Heart faded to seventh after being pressured on the front end over a course labeled as good.

“He came back good, but it might be time to retire him,” trainer Brian Lynch said of the 8-year-old, who is owned by Terry Hamilton. “We should know in a couple days.”