Taj Mahal, Red Zone Runner, Bravaro target Wood Memorial
The Grade 2, Wood Memorial on April 4 at Aqueduct is attracting a growing group of Kentucky Derby hopefuls, with undefeated Taj Mahal, dominant City of Brotherly Love winner Red Zone Runner and Fountain of Youth (G2) fourth-place finisher Bravaro all pointing to the nine-furlong test that awards 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Taj Mahal
Tom Ryan of co-owner SF Racing confirmed Sunday morning that Taj Mahal will make his next start in the Wood Memorial.
"The notion is he'll take his shot in the Wood Memorial," Ryan said. "He's done nothing wrong so far, and he's ran himself up the ladder while improving his numbers. He's got some nice time in between after his first two starts were close together. I personally believe the distance is not going to be an issue for him, the question is just if he has the ability to compete with the field that will line up."
Trained by Brittany Russell, the son of Nyquist made a winning debut sprinting six furlongs on Feb. 6 at Laurel Park, where he broke slow and tracked in last of six under Sheldon Russell. He pounced with a four-wide bid and took the lead in upper stretch, powering home strongly to post a 4 1/4-length score in a final time of 1:12.42 and earning a 73 Beyer Speed Figure, as reported by Daily Racing Form, for the effort.
Fifteen days later, Taj Mahal wheeled back for the one-turn mile Miracle Wood at the Maryland oval, where he switched tactics and took a 2 1/2-length lead early after a clean break under Russell. He was met with an outside challenge from Let's Go Lando in the turn, and the two slugged it out down the lane with Taj Mahal prevailing by a neck in a final time of 1:39.47 over the muddy and sealed footing. He improved his Beyer to an 86 in victory.
"That stake came back up two weeks off his first run, but we felt in his first run he did it all well within himself," Ryan said. "Brittany said he gave all the indications he had come out of it the right way and was enjoying himself. He lined right back up there, changed tactics, and went coast-to-coast. It was lovely to see some versatility, and it feels like he's got a good mind. He was in California for a while before we brought him East and it's all worked out the way it was supposed to. He seems to act better on the East Coast surfaces than on the West."
Taj Mahal returned to the work tab Sunday, covering a half-mile in 50.8 seconds over the Laurel Park dirt.
"The Wood is the natural spot to look at, and hopefully everything goes well over the next couple weeks, and we'll land there," Ryan said.
Taj Mahal was a $525,000 purchase by agent Donato Lanni at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. He is out of the stakes-placed Quality Road mare Oola Gal, and his fourth dam is dual Grade 1 winner and successful broodmare Strategic Maneuver.
Ryan said the consistent success of Nyquist as a sire helped place Taj Mahal on the ownership's shortlist of yearlings at Keeneland. Top progeny sired by Nyquist currently in training include Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos for National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and multiple graded stakes winner Knightsbridge for Hall of Famer Bill Mott.
"We put our minds to Nyquist and we're feeling like he's acquitted himself well for us," Ryan said. "We've got Litmus Test going to the Arkansas Derby, and we've got another colt named Kristofferson who we like a lot. The stallion is an elite sire, throwing horses like Nysos and Knightsbridge. It's remarkable what he's able to put on the ground, and his quality almost seems to be getting better if that's even possible. We became a fan of Nyquist based off Bob's experience with Nysos, and this is a colt Bob liked himself."
Ryan noted plans for other sophomores in the partnership, including Litmus Test, who is headed to the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 28 at Oaklawn after a last-out third in the Rebel (G2) on March 1 for Baffert.
"Bob is very happy with him, and we are looking forward to the Arkansas Derby," Ryan said. "You're always disappointed not to win, but I wasn't discouraged by his effort in the Rebel and I thought he still ran quite well."
Baffert also trains Cherokee Nation, who earned a 100 Beyer for a 10-length graduation at sixth asking on Feb. 27 at Santa Anita and is expected to make his next start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 4.
"What a cool horse he is. He did everything so effortlessly and it was a beautiful thing to see," Ryan said. "He's good and the target is the Santa Anita Derby."
Grade 1-placed Madaket Road returned to the work tab Sunday at Santa Anita, covering five furlongs handily in 1:00 for Baffert. The Quality Road colt was entered in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) on Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park but was scratched due to a foot issue.
Ryan said the gray has bounced back well since returning to California and could return to the races this spring at Churchill Downs, with the Grade 1 Forego on Aug. 29 at Saratoga among a list of potential long-term targets.
"He's almost never ran a bad race and has run in so many high-caliber races," Ryan said. "Hopefully, we can put him in spots this year that will give him a chance to improve his resume. He's a horse that ships and trains well."
Red Zone Runner
Tom Coulter's Red Zone Runner dominated the City of Brotherly Love by 15 1/2 lengths on March 3 at Parx and is pointed to the Wood Memorial.
"We nominated him. That's the plan, this is where we are aiming," trainer Hugo Padilla said. "So far, that's the plan because the horse came out of his last race absolutely outstanding. He's doing very well, he's very happy. We couldn't have asked for any better."
The Practical Joke dark bay set the pace in the 1 1/16-mile City of Brotherly Love, piloted by Mychel Sanchez through splits of 23.68 seconds, 47.91, 1:13.28, 1:39.73 and stopping the clock in 1:46.67 over the sloppy and sealed track. Red Zone Runner was making his first start for Padilla following four outings for trainer Erin McClellan, including stakes thirds in the Pennsylvania-bred Pennsylvania Nursery in November at Parx and the open-company Heft in December at Laurel Park.
"I felt like he'd run a big race because he was training absolutely beautifully," Padilla said. "The whole time I've had this horse, I've seen him growing, getting better and better. I was trying to run him earlier than his last race going longer, to get the lungs and the stamina to stretch him out, but I could not get races to go anywhere. We just took a shot at the stakes. We hoped for the best and he showed us he could handle the distance. He did it easily. He was impressive."
Red Zone Runner was making his first start beyond seven furlongs and showed pacesetting tactics for the first time.
"The conversation with Mychel was that he might show speed, but he doesn't need the lead. If he goes and you feel comfortable on the lead, you go, but if somebody needs the lead, don't force him," Padilla said. "This horse doesn't really need the lead. He can come from off the pace. He got the easy lead, the fractions were solid, he could handle that pace."
In 2024, Padilla won the City of Brotherly Love with Lonesome Boy, who exited to run a solid fourth of 12 in the Wood Memorial.
"That horse, I loved him. He was all heart. He gave us excitement, and this horse reminds me of him a bit, but I feel like he could be even better," Padilla said. "The way he [Red Zone Runner] ran and the way he came out of his last race, he came back like he never did anything. He was so happy. He's been bright and training very well."
Red Zone Runner, bred in Pennsylvania by Coulter's Arrowwood Farm, is out of the stakes-winning Petionville mare Look Deep.
Bravaro
New York-bred stakes winner Bravaro is likely headed north to Aqueduct for the Wood Memorial.
"The plan is that if all stays well and he's healthy, we'll go to the Wood," said Niall Brennan, who works in tandem with his wife Stephanie Brennan née Baltzan, co-owner and breeder of Bravaro. "He's won on the track twice, and we're confident he's a very nice horse. Whether he's a Derby horse, that remains to be seen. Obviously, he would have to show up in the Wood to progress on, but we feel like we've got a really nice New York-bred for the summer. We'll give him a shot and see if he belongs with that group, or we'll plan a different route for the summer."
The son of New York-bred Kentucky stallion Upstart was last seen finishing a troubled-trip fourth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) on Feb. 28 at Gulfstream Park, where he finished 11 lengths back of the victorious Commandment. The bay colt was making his second graded attempt after a game second-place effort to Nearly in the Holy Bull (G3) in January when making his sophomore bow, picking up 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points in each race for a total of 20.
Campaigned by Albert Ciuffetelli, Stephanie Brennan, Shining Stables, BAG Racing Stables and Paul Braverman, Bravaro was bred in New York by Stephanie Brennan, who works alongside her husband in the couple's racing and breeding operation. The Brennans operate their well-regarded training center in Ocala, Fla., and keep about six broodmares at Ascendant Farm outside Saratoga Springs, N.Y., to foal each spring.
"We've always had our mares in New York. We like to have New York-breds and it makes sense for us," Brennan said. "We aren't big breeders – we are more into training and the farm here [in Florida], but being New York-bred gives us more value if we are selling and if we end up racing them, the purses and awards are huge, so that's why we have them. The reality is that people want to race where the purses are healthy, and having the New York-bred stakes program is a big help. Outside of Kentucky, it's tough to be anywhere else."
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the lightly raced Bravaro had trouble in the Fountain of Youth when he was bumped at the start and tracked in eighth of nine along the inside before making a mild bid to improve to fourth.
"He came out of the race very good. Unfortunately, he did not get the trip that was planned, and I'm not sure how much difference it would have made, but he was supposed to be up close and he got shuffled back," Brennan said. "He was stuck on the rail with a lot of dirt [kickback], and he didn't get the chance to run his best race."
As a juvenile, Bravaro went a perfect 2-for-2 against fellow state-breds at the Big A, graduating by one length in his six-furlong debut in September en route to a 2 1/2-length annexing of the state-bred Sleepy Hollow when stretched out to a one-turn mile in October.
"Physically, he's always been a nice horse. He's a fabulous-looking horse, is about 16.1 [hands], and he's a tall and powerful colt," Brennan said. "He was a very nice yearling, and a very nice 2-year-old. This time last year, we had him entered in the sale, but he dug a huge hole to China in his stall at the sales grounds and gave himself a foot bruise, so he ended up scratching from the sale.
"Things happen for a reason, and a guy who works for me was friends with Albert Ciuffetelli in New York, and they were looking for a racehorse," Brennan continued. "We stayed in, and Al and his son are very excited and their whole family is involved. That's what the whole game is about – introducing people like this to the passion of it. We're excited to be partners, and Saffie is still very high on him. We know he'll have a good career."
Bravaro is out of the unraced Tamarkuz mare Opera Star, a half-sister to dual stakes winners Dene Court and Jacally and Grade 3-placed Theregoesjojo, all three of which were Ontario-breds who found their best stride over the turf and Tapeta at Woodbine.
Brennan added a future on turf could be a possibility for Bravaro.
"We know the family, and it's a good family with speed on the bottom side and they won on turf and synthetic up in Canada," Brennan said. "He's a big, powerful horse, and I think Upstarts can go either way with surface. He's obviously shown to be a good horse on dirt. Sometimes, very good turf horses are good on the dirt, but you put them on the turf and they just find another dimension. He's doing great right now and we'd like to give him another shot on dirt, but we are certainly open to putting him on turf in the summer."
Looking ahead to the spring, Brennan is excited for the return of New York homebred Slapintheface, who was last seen winning the state-bred Mohawk in October at Belmont at the Big A for trainer Tony Dutrow.
"He gets the winter off every year and is back training now to hopefully head back up to Tony next month," Brennan said. "We're planning for a summer and fall campaign with him."
A four-time winner, the now-6-year-old son of Oscar Performance has been a model of consistency, hitting the board in 11 of 15 starts with purse earnings of $364,320. Out of the winning Lookin At Lucky mare Lost Innocence – a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Quality Rocks – Slapintheface is a beloved part of the Brennan family.
"It's been fun with him. He's a neat, old gelding and we've had some offers to sell him, but that won't happen. I think I'd be divorced if we sold him," Brennan said with a laugh.