Jim Dandy graduate Laoban targets Travers
Grade 2 Jim Dandy winner Laoban has emerged from his breakthrough maiden victory in good order, trainer Eric Guillot reported Sunday morning.
"Everything's good. He ate up almost everything - he left a little bit which is normal for him, especially as late as it was," said Guillot. "He's not tired, he's doing great."
Laoban made history as the first maiden to win the Jim Dandy when he and jockey Jose Ortiz led wire-to-wire to win by 1 ΒΌ lengths as the longest shot on the board at odds of 27-1. Guillot added that the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 27 would be the ostensible target for the strapping son of Uncle Mo.
"It's the horseracing business, you've always got to go day-to-day with these animals, but that's my long-term plan," said the Louisiana native, who saddled Moreno to graded stakes victories at 3, 4 and 5 years old, including a 10-1 upset of the Grade 1 Whitney in 2014.
"That's why I get up at 4:30 in the morning. I get up for the big dances, not to run in maiden races," he said. "That's what I like to do and I'm good at it."
Source: NYRA Communications