Pair of sharp maiden winners hitting the Derby trail in California
Maiden winner Kid Corleone for trainer Doug O’Neill and Sir London, who romped by 10 lengths at Los Alamitos last Saturday for trainer Simon Callaghan, are both headed to the Kentucky Derby trail.
O’Neill told Horse Racing Nation Kid Corleone is targeting the $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) going a flat mile at Santa Anita on Jan. 1. As for Sir London, he will await the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis (G3) going 1 1/16-miles at Santa Anita on Feb. 6, Callaghan confirmed.
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Both the Sham and the Lewis award a total of 17 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers paid on a scale of 10-4-2-1.
Sir London was a $700,000 auction purchase earlier this year and is campaigned by Amo Racing USA and Qatar Racing. By Malibu Moon out of the unraced Seeking the Gold mare Seeking Atlantis, Sir London was beaten a length by Kid Corleone in a maiden race at Del Mar on Nov. 13.
He returned with a vengeance last weekend when stretched to a mile. Under Flavien Prat, Kid Corleone seized the early lead, opened his advantage to eight lengths at the eighth pole and coasted under the wire a double-digit length winner.
You can view the smashing victory on the Los Alamitos' web site when searching by date and race number (Dec.4/race 1)
Kid Corleone is a California-bred son of Shackleford out of the Indian Charlie mare Corleone. A $62,000 auction purchase earlier this year, he was a troubled fourth when debuting in a turf sprint at Santa Anita on Oct. 24 before returning three weeks later to knock off Sir London and earn his diploma sprinting on the dirt.
Following the win, O’Neill told Horse Racing Nation the effort “really floored us.
“He’s a horse we’ve always been excited about, but I really thought we wouldn’t see the best of him until we stretched him out,” O’Neill added.
Kid Corleone will get his two-turn test in the Sham.
“Timing wise, it is good” O’Neill said of the decision to target the Sham. “This gives us plenty of time to put in some good long gallops and works.”, and he should stretch out. This gives us plenty of time to put in some good long gallops and works.”