Tu Brutus takes a shot at Grade 1 Whitney
Winning Move Stable, Green, Saltor Thoroughbred Stables and Pine Stables Chilean-bred Tu Brutus will be entered to run in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney, said trainer Gary Contessa. Off of a disappointing third place finish in the Grade 2 Brooklyn, the son of Scat Daddy was found to have a guttural pouch infection. Contessa had been weighing options as to where to enter, and settled on taking on tough competition.
"Tu Brutus is going to run in the Whitney," Contessa said. "I wanted to take a look in the Birdstone, but we're going to go for the Whitney. Gun Runner is a good horse, don't get me wrong, but there's a time when I thought Tu Brutus is as good as Arrogate, and if I truly believe in this horse he deserves a shot in the Whitney.
"It's Keen Ice, Gun Runner, War Story, who I think we should've beat in the Brooklyn, and I think for a Grade 1, for that kind of money at Saratoga, this race is a light race with the exception of Gun Runner, and I think it's a good time to try a Grade 1 with this horse, and I know he doesn't mind running the mile and an eighth," he said.
Stablemate and fellow Chilean-bred Turco Bravo will make his 60th career start as he attempts to defend his title in Thursday's $100,000 Birdstone at 1 3/4 miles. The 8-year-old gelding enters off a fifth-place finish against open claimers on Sunday July 23 at Saratoga after being away since May, where he tired to 10th at 1 ½ miles on turf. The son of Irish sire Caesarion gamely beat five others in last year's Birdstone. Contessa is hoping for a turnaround, and names Javier Castellano to ride.
"Turco Bravo won the Birdstone last year," said Contessa. "He's trained as good or better than he did last year, but the light hasn't come on yet, he just hasn't delivered for me. It's like I'm hoping that he's reunited with Castellano, maybe it will bring back that spark for him. Maybe he's hit the wall at age 8, and he's never going to be last year's Turco Bravo, but I'll be damned if he doesn't look or train as good as he did last year, so maybe he wakes up in this race, that's his game, a mile and three quarters, so we're going take our best shot."
Source: NYRA