Instilled Regard joins Brown, eyes late-summer return

ARCADIA, Calif. – Instilled Regard, unraced since a fourthplace finish in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, has been transferred from trainer Jerry Hollendorfer to Chad Brown in New York for a late-summer campaign, owner Larry Best said on Thursday.

Instilled Regard was based in California with Hollendorfer through the Kentucky Derby before being rested on a Kentucky farm through May and early June.

“I think he added 75 to 80 pounds,” Best said. “I’ve shipped him to Belmont Park.”

Best said the decision to send Instilled Regard to Brown was based on the preponderance of graded stakes on dirt on the East Coast during the summer compared with California, which emphasizes turf stakes for 3-year-olds.

“I thought he could hang out at Belmont and see how long it takes to get him back into condition,” Best said. “I’d like to get him in the races in late July, but it could be August.”

At Saratoga this summer, the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes, a $600,000 race at 1 1/8 miles, will be run July 28 as a prep for the Grade 1 Travers Stakes, a $1.25 million race at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 25.

Instilled Regard has won 2 of 8 starts and earned $394,000. He won the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds in January and was fourth in his next three starts – the Grade 2 Risen Star, the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, and the Kentucky Derby, in which he closed from 17th to finish 4 1/4 lengths behind Justify.

“He ran a good race in the Kentucky Derby,” Best said. “He never quits. I think he’s a durable horse and we’ll have a better second half of 2018 and 2019.”

Best said he will continue to have horses with Hollendorfer in California, including several 2-year-olds expected to start this summer at Del Mar.

Kanthaka eyes Bing Crosby

Kanthaka, a winner of two stakes for 3-year-old sprinters this year, may have his first start against older horses in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on July 28.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said on Thursday that Kanthaka has returned to his California stable after being withdrawn from the Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park last Saturday because of a foot ailment.

The $300,000 Bing Crosby is run at six furlongs and is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offering a fees-paid berth for the winner in the BC Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Kanthaka has won 3 of 6 starts and earned $263,663. He won two stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita this year – the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes in February and the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes in May.

American Gal to undergo tests

American Gal is scheduled to undergo a battery of precautionary tests after finishing last of five in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses as a heavy favorite at Belmont Park on June 8.

“We’re being ultra-conservative,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “We’re running tests in the next few days.”

Owned by Kaleem Shah, American Gal struck the gate at the start of the $250,000 Bed o’ Roses for fillies and mares at seven furlongs. The 4-yearold filly was third for the first half-mile before fading to finish 12 3/4 lengths behind Lewis Bay.

Callaghan said “missing the break and getting in tight” contributed to the loss.

American Gal has won two Grade 1 races – the Test Stakes at Saratoga last August and the Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 5. American Gal has won 5 of 9 starts and earned $912,480.

COADY PHOTOGRAPHY Instilled Regard was trained by Jerry Hollendorfer when fourth in the Kentucky Derby.