Mr. Jordan Shows Depth With Smooth Air Win

 

In stamping himself as a strong prospect for the important 3-year-old stakes during Gulfstream Park’s upcoming Championship Meet, the 2-year-old son of Kantharos captured his third straight race under a hand ride as he successfully negotiated two turns for the first time in one of six stakes on Juvenile Showcase Day at Gulfstream Park West.

 

Mr. Jordan, who broke his maiden by more than six lengths at Monmouth in August and captured the Juvenile Sprint for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park West by three lengths, passed the two-turn test while being pressed by Juan and Bina shortly after the start, along the backstretch and around the far turn, before effortlessly kicking clear to win under Gabriel Saez and under wraps.

 

“That horse laid on us the whole way, and they were able to slow the pace down to a realistic pace. That was a plus for my horse. At the top of the stretch that horse tried to get by him, and he couldn’t in a way I haven’t had happen a lot, certainly not in stakes races,” said Plesa, whose trainee was sent to post as the 3-5 favorite in a field of 10. “My horse was so much in control the jockey didn’t have to ask him to run. All he had to do was let him out a notch.

“The circumstances were a little different because that horse was laying on him, and he didn’t try to out-sprint him. He took a deep breath and relaxed and did what he was told. That’s a big step in the right direction,” Plesa added. “The elephant in the room was: Can he go around two turns? He did and did it with a career-best Beyer figure (95).”

 

Juan and Bina, the 4-1 second choice who had previously broken his maiden around two turns in his debut on Nov. 2, finished second, 6 ½ lengths clear of stakes-winner Hubba Shake. Juan and Bina is a son of Indian Charlie, out of Carressing, the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner and Eclipse Award champion.

 

“The horse that finished second is a nice horse. I’m a Ragozin person numbers-wise, and that’s a horse that ran a good number the very first time out, going around two turns,” Plesa said “So, he’s a legitimate horse.”

 

Plesa, who trains Mr. Jordan for his wife, Laurie, David Melin and Leon Ellman, expressed pleasure with the flashy gray colt’s development with each start.

 

“I don’t think we’ve hit the bottom of this horse,” he said. “The next test will be: What happens when a horse looks him in the eye – a top horse – and can he compete with that horse? We won’t know until it happens.”

 

Plesa is planning to run Mr. Jordan next at Gulfstream Park, which opens the 2014-2015 meeting next Saturday. His top options include the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man (formerly Gulfstream Park Derby) on Jan. 3, the $400,000 Holy Bull (G2) on Jan. 24, and the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) on Feb. 21, leading up to the $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1) on March 28.

 

“It’ll definitely be at Gulfstream, but I haven’t made any decisions. You’ve got three races that lead up to the Florida Derby, four races with the Florida Derby. Do I want to run in all of them? No,” Plesa said. “Then, I’ve got Souper Colossal. He’ll be back in the picture by then.”

Souper Colossal won his first three races, including stakes victories in the Sapling and Tyro at Monmouth Park, before finishing a troubled seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita on Nov. 1. Live Oak Plantation’s son of War Front stumbled at the start and dueled three-wide for the lead into the far turn before weakening.

 

“He was short-changed in the race in California. He worked entirely too fast going into that race,” Plesa said. “Which one is better? I don’t know.”