In this report, I will take a look at the latest news in the 3-year-old male division. I will be doing these updates all summer, and you can read them here and/or watch them on my YouTube Channel.
The 3-year-old title is up for grabs heading into the second half of the year. We had three different winners of the Triple Crown Series races, and prior to the Derby, we had 20 different winners in the final 25 Derby points races. It is a wide open division to say the least.
Let’s go through the leading 3-year-old horses in alphabetical order and check out the latest news.
Batten Down: Wired the field as my top choice in the Ohio Derby (G3) on June 22. That’s back-to-back front running wins for Bill Mott’s improving colt. He breezed a half mile in 48.00 (3/40) at Saratoga on July 8. The Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 27 might be next.
Domestic Product: Clearly second best in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 15, the local prep for the Grade 1 Haskell. Instead of targeting the latter race, Chad Brown turned him back in the Grade 3 Dwyer (one-turn mile) at Aqueduct on July 6. He was the favorite vs. three foes in the Dwyer, and he chased the pace, pounced on the leaders, and rolled home by 7 3/4 lengths under Flavien Prat. He may have found his game in longer sprints, and the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 24 might be next.
Dornoch: He fired a half-mile bullet in 48.20 (1/17) at Saratoga on June 27, followed by an easy half-mile breeze in 50.00 (22/43) on July 5. The Haskell (G1) on July 20 is next, followed by the Grade 1 Travers on Aug. 24.
Fierceness – Has not run since finishing 15th as the beaten favorite in the Ky Derby. He worked three times in June including a 5f bullet in 1:01 (1/7) on the 28th. The later work was in company with Illuminare (final 1/4 in 24/25). His last move was a 5f work in 1:01.25 (3/8) at Saratoga on July 5. He is possible for Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 20.
Honor Marie – Last year’s Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) hero was 5th in the Risen Star (G2), 2nd in the LA Derby (G2), 8th in the Ky Derby (G1), and 4th in the Belmont Stakes (G1). He breezed a half-mile in 50.40 (106/144) at Churchill Downs on July 6 and will make his next start in the Travers.
Just Steel – Injured in the Preakness. He had surgery more than five weeks ago and is progressing nicely. If everything continues to go well, he might return in the fall.
Mindframe: Belmont Stakes runner-up breezed in company with Tuscan Sky at Saratoga on June 28 (4f in 50.95). Galloped out 5f in 1:03.24 and 6f in 1:15.57 and Mindframe was stronger on the gallop out. He drilled a 5f bullet in 1:00.40 (1/8) on July 5 and is possible for the Haskell Stakes.
Mystik Dan: The only horse to compete in all three Triple Crown Series races this year. He was completely out of gas in the Belmont and was examined after the race and had some mucus in his lungs. He was turned out for a few weeks after the Belmont and will train up to the Travers.
Muth: No longer under consideration for Haskell. Got sick and scratched from the Preakness. He worked twice at Santa Anita in June including a 5f move in 1:02.40 (1/3) on the 27th. His last workout was a half-mile move in 48.00 (18/43) at Santa Anita on July 4.
Parenting: 2-for-2 for Bob Baffert. Won the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita by 7 1/2 lengths on June 9 (95 BSF). Powered away in the stretch in a visually impressive manner (geared down). $750k Justify colt drilled a 5f bullet in 58.80 (1/30) at Santa Anita on June 22, and went 7f in 1:28 on June 29. He is being considered for the Haskell Stakes.
Prince of Monaco: Troubled 2nd (beaten 1/2 length) in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Saratoga (seven furlongs) on June 8. That was his first start since finishing 5th in BC Juvenile last fall. He worked 4f in 49.80 (77/111) at Santa Anita on June 30, and went a half-mile in 47.80 (16/113) on July 7. He might return to Saratoga for the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at seven panels on Aug. 24.
Protective: He finished 6th in the Belmont Stakes. He breezed 4f in 48.48 (4/22) at Saratoga on June 30, and traveled a half-mile in 48.55 (6/47) on July 7. Todd Pletcher and company have decided to back off and give him some much needed class relief. They found a 1 1/8 miles MSW race at Saratoga (race 5) on July 14.
Seize the Grey: The Preakness winner was 7th in the Belmont. He breezed 4f in 47.20 at Churchill Downs on June 22, 5f in 1:00 (3/23) on June 30, and 5f in 59.22 (1/1) on July 7. He is possible for the Haskell.
Sierra Leone: The Travers is his major summer goal, and Chad Brown said that he could train up to that race or prep in the Jim Dandy. He breezed 4f in 49.66 (6/30) at Saratoga on June 23, and 4f in 48.44 (3/22) on June 30 (galloped out 6f in 1:16.50). On July 7, he worked a half-mile in 49.00 (6/29).
Society Man: Dornoch’s stablemate was 2nd in Wood Memorial, 16th in Ky Derby, and 1st in the Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill Downs on June 9. He breezed 4f in 49.76 (15/20) at Saratoga on June 28, and worked a half-mile in 49.93 (24/34) on July 5. He is targeting the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby on Aug. 4.
Speak Easy: Won his seven panel debut at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27. Corporate Power and Batten Down were both in that special weight race and they both won stakes races this year. He ran off in post parade and scratched out of Fountain of Youth Stakes. He worked three times in June including half-mile breeze in 48.88 (7/61) at Saratoga on the 28th. His latest move was a 5f breeze in 1:01.57 (6/9) on July 5. Look for him to resurface at Saratoga this summer.
Stronghold – Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby winner was 7th in Kentucky Derby, his first finish out of the exacta in seven starts. He worked six times after the Derby including a 5f bullet in 59.00 (1/52) on June 30. He was the favorite in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indy on July 6. Dragoon Guard set the pace as the second betting choice and kept on going in a solid victory by 2 1/2 lengths. Stronghold chased the pace and was clearly second best.
Thorpedo Anna: She is 3-for-3 this year (G2 Fantasy, G1 Ky Oaks, G1 Acorn). She breezed 4f in 48.48 (3/61) at Saratoga on June 28, and she fired a half-mile bullet in 47.66 (1/350 on July 6. She is targeting the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 20, followed by the Alabama (G1) on Aug. 17.
Timeout (Bill Mott): Hit the board in his first two starts, and stretched out, added blinkers, and rallied to graduate by a neck at 1 1/8 miles as the favorite at Aqueduct on June 15. That was a relatively fast race and he might go next in the restricted Curlin Stakes at Saratoga (1 1/8 miles) on July 19. He breezed 4f in 48.87 (5/61) at Saratoga on June 28, and most recently logged 5f in 1:01.25 (3/8) on July 5.
Tuscan Sky – Added blinkers and won the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth by 6 3/4 lengths for Javier Castellano and Todd Pletcher. He is now 3-for-4. I mentioned his company work with Mindframe earlier, and he went 5f in 1:01.65 (5/8) on July 5. He is possible for the Haskell on July 20.
Unmatched Wisdom (Chad Brown): Pressed the pace and won his 8f debut at AQU by 6 1/4 lengths on May 10, and chased the pace outside and cruised by 5 3/4 lengths at 20 cents on the dollar on June 22. He breezed 4f in 48.00 (11/109) on July 5 and is possible for the Curlin Stakes or the Jim Dandy.
Wynstock: Clearly likes Los Alamitos. Won the Los Al Futurity (G2) last year and the Los Al Derby by a nose over his stablemate Cornell on June 29. Might switch to turf and run in the La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 4 and/or the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 1.
