Preakness 2023: Mage awaits Friday go-ahead for Pimlico trip

Louisville, Ky.

It looks like everything is coming together for Mage to continue his Triple Crown bid next week in Baltimore, but one of the co-owners said he would not make a firm declaration about Preakness Stakes 2023 until Friday.

“Tomorrow,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., assistant trainer to his father and one of four lead partners in the Kentucky Derby winner.

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Delgado spoke outside barn 42 at Churchill Downs, where Mage walked the shed row before and after a routine gallop with exercise rider J.J. Delgado around a fast main track in comfortable sunshine Thursday at about 7:45 a.m. EDT.

“Before we make a decision we’re going to recheck him again with our vet here,” Delgado said. “Make sure everything goes right and he feels good again. We still have to discuss a couple things with the owners, with the partners that we have. But pretty much everything seems to be in good order.”

Delgado revealed that co-owner Sam Herzberg of Sterling Racing had reservations about running the lightly raced colt back only two weeks after a rigorous run to victory in the Derby.

“He is not saying no,” Delgado said, “He’s probably worried, because they’ll race too soon. And he should. I mean you want to have a healthy horse not just for now but for the second part of the season, too.

“We all have a good relationship. It’s just a matter of concern. That’s it.”

With bloodstock agent Ramiro Restrepo also holding a major share in the colt, Delgado said his father would have the final word on whether Mage gets the green light Friday to go to Pimlico.

“If we get the OK from everybody,” he said, “we should be going to Baltimore on the weekend.”

Mage would be shipped with Isabel Alexandra, a 3-year-old filly who was expected to be entered for a turf allowance race Sunday at Pimlico.

“It’s about logistics, pretty much, whether we ship all the horses we have here” Delgado said.

That meant Mage, Isabel Alexandra and 4-year-old colt O Captain, who was entered for a Thursday night allowance race at Churchill Downs, would be traveling together from Louisville to Baltimore.

“Probably Saturday,” Delgado said.

Mage would be racing for only the fifth time if he goes May 20 in the Preakness. He became only the third horse to win the Derby without having raced as a 2-year-old. His previous races were all at Gulfstream Park, including a debut win Jan. 28, a fourth-place finish in the Fountain of Youth (G2) on March 4 and a runner-up result in the Florida Derby (G1) on April 1.

If he looks Friday the way he did Thursday morning, Delgado said, Mage would be taking that 600-mile trailer ride.

“He looks great. He looks great,” Delgado said. “He doesn’t seem tired at all.”

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