Gronkowski wins Euro prep, appears Kentucky Derby-bound
It appears Gronkowski — yes, the horse named after the New England Patriots tight end — will indeed run in the 2018 Kentucky Derby.
A son of Lonhro, the equine Gronk moved his record on all-weather surfaces to 4-for-4 Friday by winning the $135,000 Burradon Stakes going a straight mile at England’s Newcastle.
The race served as the final stop on Europe’s Kentucky Derby trail. And with Gronkowski also winning last out, he has acquired the points to earn Churchill Downs’ overseas invitation for the May 5 race.
The final time under jockey Jamie Spencer was 1:37.49.
Trainer Jeremy Noseda, who conditions Gronkowski for Phoenix Thoroughbreds, had hoped to figure that out before the Kentucky Derby having planned for him to run in Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes. But when connections discovered their European Derby points wouldn’t carry over to the domestic series, they remained in Europe for Friday’s Burradon.
Gronkowski has excelled on synthetic surfaces since making the switch last December and will go on dirt for the first time at Churchill. In the Burradon he topped a field of nine, with none of his rivals Triple Crown nominees. Spencer, the jockey, rated him off the leaders, then guided Gronkowski up the rail with a strong late kick to win.
Both Mendelssohn and Gronkowski entered Friday with 20 European qualifying points, with Mendelssohn owning the tiebreaker based on non-restricted graded stakes earnings. Gronkowski tallied 30 more points with the Burradon victory.