On a roll, Joseph enters Sound Machine for Keeneland 'steppingstone'

Saffie Joseph Jr., who earned his first Grade 1 victory Sept. 21 when 31-1 longshot Math Wizard won the Pennsylvania Derby, will send out his first Keeneland runner on Friday when e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ Sound Machine starts in the sixth race.

The 2-year-old Into Mischief filly was an early candidate for the afternoon’s featured Darley Alcibiades (G1), but those plans changed when there was no suitable prep race for her at Joseph’s Gulfstream base

“She came to our barn in April with high expectations,” he said about Sound Machine, a $500,000 purchase at Keeneland’s 2018 September Yearling Sale who won her career debut at Gulfstream in July by 8 ¼ lengths. “Her wakeup call when we realized she is legit was her workout just before her first start. It was dynamite, just spectacular. The Keeneland (allowance) race is a good steppingstone to see how good she is. 

"She has settled in and is doing well and hopefully she will give a good performance for us. It is special to be at Keeneland, and we are thankful to be here.”

Sound Machine is the second horse Joseph has trained for Bob Edwards’ e Five Racing Thoroughbreds. Its bloodstock adviser, Mike Ryan, recommended Joseph. 

Joseph first came to the Keeneland races about a decade ago and returned when Math Wizard trained here after his second-place finish in the Ohio Derby (G3) in June. 

“There were other derbies coming up and we thought Keeneland would be a nice temporary base,” Joseph said.

Math Wizard was third in the Indiana Derby (G3) in July and sixth in the West Virginia Derby (G3) in August. During his time at Keeneland, the colt posted two timed works.

After the West Virginia Derby, Math Wizard returned to Gulfstream. Now with his win in the Pennsylvania Derby, the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita is being considered for his next start.

Thanks to Math Wizard, 2019 has been a breakthrough year for Joseph. The son of a trainer, he left his native Barbados to attend preparatory school in Florida and soon began to pursue a Thoroughbred training career.

In 2009 at age 22, upon returning home, he won the Barbados Triple Crown with Areutalkintome. In 2011, he began his North American training career in Florida.

“Growing up, I dreamed of having these opportunities and I am thankful to my owners for giving me these opportunities,” he said. “Trainers need good support from owners, and we have good horses.”