Murjan Tries Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Tommy Hamilton is always looking for a solid Kentucky Derby (gr. I) prospect. So when he got a call from longtime friend and bloodstock agent Stanley D. Petter Jr., he was all ears.

“I’ve known Stanley for a long time, and he is very astute,” said Hamilton, who races his horses in the name of Silverton Hill, along with his wife Bonnie. “He told me about a 2-year-old Officer colt running in Peru. I decided it was worth a look.”

The colt Petter was referring to was Murjan, who was bred in Kentucky by JMJ Racing Stables in Kentucky. Offered at the Keeneland November 2008 breeding stock sale, the dark bay/brown colt did not sell but was later sold privately and taken to Peru. Petter first became interested in 2-year-old Murjan, who is out of the Tabasco Cat mare Jeanne Cat, after learning he broke his maiden by more than 10 lengths and won a first-level allowance event by 16 lengths in August.