‘Why not?’ Brilliant Racing's Eskenforit to the Indiana Derby

As a relatively new partnership, Brilliant Racing, warns its members up front not to expect a piece in a Kentucky Derby contender. But how about one for the Indiana Derby?

Eskenforit, a 3-year-old son of Eskendereya, took eight starts to break his maiden, and that victory came when dropped down to claiming company. Facing winners next out, he lost a photo in the closest of calls.

But next, partners are taking a shot with one of their first Brilliant Racing purchases in Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 feature at Indiana Grand with a horse they see vastly improving.

“Lightbulb moments? They are real,” said Joe Kristufek, a founding member in the group that has Steve Margolis training the $60,000 gelding they affectionately call Kenny.

“This horse is just different now,” Kristufek added. “Two months ago, he had no idea how to eat a peppermint and now he's like a vacuum.”

Eskenforit joins a prospective field for the 1 1/16-mile Indiana Derby led by Mr. Money, who Kristufek, a Churchill handicapper, and fellow partners know well. In his last two starts, Mr. Money won Grade 3 events by a combined 11 3/4 lengths under the Twin Spires.

Natalie Gils, a managing partner for Brilliant Racing, expects more than 20 members and their guests will attend with the trip a short one from Eskenforit’s Churchill base.

“We know that we are going to be a longshot if we get into the Indiana Derby,” Gils said, “but Kenny is a happy horse who loves to train, has tons of heart and keeps getting better. The 3-year-old division isn’t very strong at the moment and Kenny is thriving, so why not?”

In addition to working as a managing partner for Brilliant Racing, Brandon Stauble is a racing analyst and bloodstock agent who said Eskenforit isn’t a “wow” horse in the mornings.

“But his last two works have been fantastic," Stauble said, with the most-recent breeze on Saturday timed in 48.40 seconds for a half mile, 10th-fastest of 81 times clocked at the distance.

Eskenforit has raced at distances long and short, on turf and dirt, and at four different tracks. Along the way, connections gelded him hoping for improvement. But a different sort of equipment change may have keyed an uptick in form in those last two races.

“Much of that has to do with taking the blinkers off,” Stauble said. “He just does things with a purpose now. Even walking the shedrow, he wants to catch up to the other horses walking in front of him.”

Eskenforit shipped to Hawthorne for his final maiden special weight start on April 6 with Brilliant Racing's partners “thinking that he would romp,” Gils said, “and his performance was beyond disappointing.

“He lost weight, and our happy-go-lucky horse came back home to Churchill with a dull coat.”

Then came the class drop. On May 11 back under the Twin Spires, Eskenforit defeated fellow $20,000 claimers by 8 1/2 lengths after pressing the pace.

“We just looked around at each other in shock, scared shitless that he just ran off the screen and got claimed,” Kristufek said. “He didn't. We dodged a bullet for sure. 

“Dude was so proud of himself. After the race, he had so many visitors back at the barn, it reminded me of the American Pharoah petting zoo after he won the Triple Crown.”

Last out on June 9, Eskenforit faced older foes in a $50,000 starter allowance race. Portal, a 5-year-old, tracked down “Kenny” in the final strides of a 1 1/16-mile race to win by a nose.

“I'll go to my grave thinking he won,” Kristufek said. “We got the worst bob in the history of horse racing.”

But it was enough to prompt thoughts of trying something more.

Stauble hopes to see Eskenforit — regardless of the fractions Saturday — establish an early rhythm  and cruise at a comfortable pace under jockey Julien Leparoux.

“I think everyone that has been around him since he came to the barn last year notices a change in him for the better,” Stauble said. “He’s more confident in himself and understands what his job is now. He ran a 5 on the Thorograph sheets in his last start against older horses and was narrowly defeated.

“Kenny will likely get overlooked in the Indiana Derby, but his last race was much bigger than people realize.”