Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Good Magic points to Haskell or Jim Dandy
ELMONT, N.Y. – Good Magic, the Kentucky Derby runner-up, came out of his fourth-place finish in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday in good order and will be freshened for a summer campaign that will likely begin in late July.
Trainer Chad Brown had said after the Derby that he did not feel the 1 1/2-mile distance of the Belmont Stakes was going to suit Good Magic.
That was, in part, why he opted to run Good Magic back in two weeks in the Preakness Stakes. Good Magic, under Jose Ortiz, pressed Justify from the inside out of the gate and gave way grudgingly late, finishing a length behind Justify and beaten two heads by Bravazo and Tenfold for second.
On Monday, Brown let his post-race comments stand that he felt Good Magic’s trip didn’t give him the best chance to win the Preakness.
Brown said Good Magic would be pointed to either the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell at Monmouth on July 29 or the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 28 as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 25.
Since Good Magic has already run well at Saratoga – finishing second in his career debut there last summer – and doesn’t need to prep there for the Travers, “I’d lean towards the Haskell,” Brown said.
Brown could still be represented in the Belmont Stakes, pending how well Gronkowski trains in the coming weeks. Gronkowski, named for and now owned in part by the New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, is scheduled to breeze Saturday at Belmont, his first workout since coming to Brown’s barn.
Plans uncertain for Rushing Fall
Brown worked many of his stakes horses Monday at Belmont Park, including his talented pair of 3-year-old turf fillies Rushing Fall and Significant Form.
With turf works postponed from Sunday until Tuesday, Brown elected to work those two fillies on the dirt, and they went a half-mile in 47.85 seconds with a last quarter in 23.89.
“A little quick, but they worked good,” Brown said.
Significant Form, the 6 1/4-length winner of the Memories of Silver Stakes, is pointing to the Grade 3, $200,000 Wonder Again at Belmont on June 7.
Rushing Fall, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner who suffered her first defeat in the Edgewood at Churchill Downs, is still being considered for the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 23.
“I don’t know what we’re doing yet,” Brown said. “By next week, I’ll have a plan.”
Pacific Wind, winner of the Grade 2 Ruffian, worked a halfmile in 48.45 in preparation for a start in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps here June 9.
Analyze It and Beach Patrol went a half together in 49.05. Analyze It will run in the Pennine Ridge on June 2, while Beach Patrol will run in the Manhattan on June 9.
Robert Bruce, winner of the Grade 3 Fort Marcy, worked a half-mile in 49.07 over the Belmont training track in company with Offering Plan. Robert Bruce will run in the Manhattan, while Offering Plan is targeted for Monday’s Kingston Stakes for New Yorkbreds.
Backyard Heaven and Mask went a half-mile together in 48.87 over the training track. Backyard Heaven is pointing to the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs. There are no definitive plans for Mask.
Catholic Boy may return on turf
Catholic Boy, who bled while fourth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 31, could make his return to the races in the Grade 3, $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes on turf at Belmont Park on June 2, according to John Panagot, racing manager for part-owner Robert LaPenta.
Catholic Boy made his first three starts on turf, winning two, including the With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga. He finished a troubled fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
Catholic Boy showed his versatility by winning the Grade 2 Remsen on dirt to end his 2-year-old year and then ran second in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs in his 3-year-old debut.
He bled badly while fourth to Audible in the Florida Derby and was freshened up at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, Fla. He has breezed twice at Bridlewood, including a five-furlong move on the dirt last weekend, according to Panagot.
“He has put on a ton of weight,” Panagot said Monday at Belmont Park. “He enjoyed his time off. Right now, the plan is to keep an eye on this race.”
Panagot said that running in the Pennine Ridge or any turf race for his next start doesn’t preclude Catholic Boy from returning to the dirt later this year.
Castellano hires new agent
Panagot has taken on a second job – as agent for fourtime Eclipse Award-winning jockey Javier Castellano.
Castellano retained the services of Panagot over the weekend after parting ways with Mike Lakow, who had been his agent since September 2016.
Through Sunday, Castellano had 79 wins from 367 starts in 2018. He ranks 14th in wins and fifth in purse money won with $7.4 million.
“I’d like to ride for 10 more years, but the way my business is going right now I don’t think I could reach my goal,” Castellano said. “I’d like to be more competitive in the game.”
Castellano said he is fine with Panagot continuing to work as owner Robert LaPenta’s racing manager.
“The job he does as racing manager, it doesn’t take too much time to do that,” Castellano said. “I think it could help me with the relationship with Mr. LaPenta.”
Panagot thanked LaPenta “for the platform that he gave me these past couple of years, what he’s put into the game, and the opportunity he gave me to put me in a position to get a job like that.”
“I was lucky enough that Javier recognized that,” he said. “I’m excited for the opportunity.”