Plus Que Parfait rebounds to win UAE Derby; on to Kentucky?
The Group 2, $2.5 million UAE Derby could produce as many two starters in the 2019 Kentucky Derby and as few as none.
Plus Que Parfait and Gray Magician — both horses who had already run in points qualifiers domestically — finished 1-2 in Saturday’s 1 3/16-mile prep at Meydan to give them the points necessary for a trip to Churchill Downs.
That is, if connections so choose.
The winner in particular made quite a turnaround from his two previous starts this season, as Plus Que Parfait ran fifth in Fair Grounds’ Lecomte (G3) and 13th in the Risen Star (G2).
Trainer Brendan Walsh responded by relocating the son of Point of Entry to a Florida training center, where he said the colt perked up. Connections had long planned a try the UAE Derby, the home race for the Imperial Racing ownership group.
"It was in the back of our mind that if things didn't work out really, really well for the Kentucky Derby that we might come here," said Walsh, adding a run at the Kentucky Derby is possible.
Jockey Jose Ortiz moved his Dubai record to 2-for-2 with the victory, weaving Plus Que Parfait through traffic in the stretch, then held off an outside rally by Peter Miller-trained Gray Magician.
Aron Wellman, president of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which co-owns Gray Magician, said it's "highly unlikely" they go on to the Kentucky Derby.
Manguzi ran third and Derma Louvre fourth in a race that pays out Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 100-40-20-10 scale to its Top 4.
It's a twist to this year's results to see American connections sweep the first spots after Plus Que Parfait completed 1 3/16 miles in 1:58.41. Gray Magician was only 3/4 of a length behind.
"It was huge," Walsh said. "Jose gave him such a good ride. It was fantastic."
Ortiz earlier on the card guided Coal Front to a victory in the Godolphin Mile (G2) as well.
"The horse helped me a lot," he said of Plus Que Parfait. "He put me in a good spot, and every time I asked him to go to a position, he took me there."
Going back to his 2-year-old season, Plus Que Parfait was regarded as a Derby prospect after breaking his maiden at Keeneland third out. From there, he went on to be a close second in Churchill Downs' Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2).
Gray Magician was purchased after three starts by his current ownership group of Wachtel Stable, Eclipse and Gary Barber. They transferred him to Miller, who immediately saddled the colt for a 9 1/2-length maiden victory that put him on the radar. Gray Magician entered the UAE Derby after running second to Maryland star Alwaysmining in the Feb. 16 Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park.
“I thought he’d run a big race and he looked like a winner at the quarter pole, but maybe Joel (Rosario) didn’t see the horse coming up on the inside because he didn’t use the whip in the last strides," Miller said. "Still, I’m very proud of the horse. It’s not likely that he’ll go for the Kentucky Derby, but he’s got 40 points so it’s not out of the question.”