Destin 'feisty' in training for Churchill Downs' Clark Handicap 2017

Twin Creeks Racing Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Destin recorded his third graded stakes victory on Nov. 3 at Del Mar in the Grade 2, $200,000 Marathon Stakes on the Breeders’ Cup undercard but will have to overcome a cut back of five-eighths of a mile in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs.

“It’s not often where we wish the race to be 1 ¼ miles,” assistant trainer Ginny DePasquale joked. “We’re so proud of him after the Marathon and surprisingly the race really didn’t take much out of him at all.”

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Destin, a 2016 Kentucky Derby alumnus, began his 2017 campaign in late May following a nine-month layoff. The 4-year-old colt by Giant’s Causeway recorded a narrow victory in a conditioned allowance race on Aug. 23 at Saratoga, and defeated Clark rival Seeking the Soul. A troubled fifth-place finish in the Oct. 7 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) followed his allowance score.

“I’m really pleased with how he’s been doing since we got him to Kentucky,” DePasquale said. “His first day training at Churchill (Tuesday) he had a little bit of jet lag but (Wednesday) returned to his feisty ways and looked well.”