Pennsylvania Derby's Bravazo 'a picture of consistency'
Calumet Farm’s Bravazo, a 3-year-old colt by Awesome Again, will make his ninth start of the year in Saturday's $1 million Pennsylvania Derby and try to score his first Grade 1 win.
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas reports Bravazo galloped "about a mile and a half" Thursday morning ahead of the race. according to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas who watched his colt circle the track from atop his pony early Thursday morning.
Triple Crown winner Justify's retirement in late July left Bravazo as the only 3-year-old left who competed in all three legs of the Triple Crown series. He's continued through a summer campaign in which the warhorse added a second place finish behind Good Magic in the Grade 1 Haskell on July 29 at Monmouth before coming on late to finish third behind Catholic Boy and Mendelssohn in the Grade 1 Travers on August 25 at Saratoga Race Course.
Bravazo's start in the Pennsylvania Derby on Saturday will mark his ninth different race track in the care of Lukas, 83. The colt's competitive spirit and durability remind Lukas of his former multiple Grade 1 winner Will Take Charge, who won the 2013 Eclipse Award as Champion 3-year-old Colt.
"If one horse is going to travel he'd be the one, he's traveled more than anybody," Lukas said. "He's traveled a lot. He's been a picture of consistency really, looking at his races he's danced every dance, but he's gotten stronger and heavier and I think more focused. I think he'll run a big one.
"We're going through the same thing like Will Take Charge. He made all the dances too. I look for him to run a bang up race, but I don't by any means think this is an easy race for him. It's very competitive. It turned out tough, but every time you put up a million dollars they'll show up.”
Although many trainers today like to school their horses during afternoon racing to help them grow accustomed to race day tactics and scenarios, Lukas believes that less is sometimes more with thoroughbreds, and likes to keep it simple. The veteran horseman accompanied Bravazo on a trip to the paddock following his light gallop so his colt would be familiar with the surroundings.
"I don't school them, just take them over there," said Lukas. "I ride them through the paddock in the morning. We rode through there, and that's the way I like to do it. Let them go over there and see it. My theory is if they don't need it don't create a situation that makes you a horse trainer. That's the first thing. The second thing is they come back and they're usually on edge and sometimes they don't settle. I'll do it in the afternoon if I have to, but I'm not going to do it if I don't need to. I don't do anything with a horse unless it’s going to help."
Lukas, who has saddled 4,807 winners from 28,839 starters to date, hasn't added a victory to the list with Bravazo since his nose win in the Grade 2 Risen Star on February 17 at the Fair Grounds Race Course. Although confident in his colt, Lukas has concern with his competition, but none more so than the 5-2 favorite McKinzie, who returns to racing for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert following an injury after his last race, a disqualification to second for bumping after winning the Grade 2 San Felipe by a head over Bolt d'Oro on March 10 at Santa Anita.
"I have great respect for the Baffert horse even though he hasn't run because Bob is not going to send a horse across the country if he's not ready to run. He's got some seven-eighths works in him, and I think he's probably the horse to beat. We'll be tough, we'll keep them honest. He earns a check every time. Maybe our numbers coming up."
Through all his races run this far Lukas remains impressed with his colt's effort in the Travers. Behind in mid-pack through the early stages, Bravazo bullied his way out at the top of the lane and finished with a strong run to fall one-length short behind the pace-setting Mendelssohn who settled for the runner-up spot behind four-length winner Catholic Boy. Early pace, and a change in positioning could prove the difference once off from the gate on Saturday according to Lukas.
"They did get away. One more jump and he's got the European horse [Mendelssohn] said the seasoned trainer. "I think we got to get into the race a little earlier. That'll help. They get the first run off the turn and it's hard to run them down. I think this is a little bit tricky to ride this course. I was out there today, I love the width of the track but I was surprised how tight the turns were. They're tight, and it's good. I heard they had a lot of rain here earlier and it might have helped the track. We're lucky it's behind us.”