LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Derby winner Mage will run within the 148th Preakness following an encouraging exercise at Churchill Downs, its co-owner mentioned.
Mage galloped about 1½ miles at a brisk tempo with train rider J.J. Delgado aboard on a cloudy however gentle Friday morning on the observe. Co-owner and bloodstock agent Ramiro Restrepo mentioned the chestnut colt was “thriving” with good vitality ranges after his newest coaching session since profitable the 149th Derby, paving the best way for the horse to enter the Triple Crown’s second jewel at Pimlico in Baltimore.
“He’s had a magnificent week of training,” Restrepo mentioned with co-owner Chase Chamberlin, co-founder and racing director of companion CMNWLTH. “(Trainer) Gustavo Delgado (Jr.) was just really pleased and over the moon of how he’s come back. He’s shown all the positive signs. So, it’s on to Baltimore and crab cakes, here we come.”
Mage is coming off a one-length victory over Two Phil’s within the Derby at 15-1 odds after charging into competition getting into the stretch. The son of Good Magic and Puca by 2008 Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown earned a signature win after operating second and fourth within the Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth, respectively. He didn’t run as a 2-year-old however received his debut at Gulfstream by practically 4 lengths.
Mage will run within the 1 3/sixteenth mile Preakness on May 20, simply two weeks after masking 1¼ miles within the Derby in 2:01.57. Restrepo mentioned the horse has completed all the pieces he did earlier than the Derby, along with his restoration being monitored after his longest journey.
He will prepare once more on Saturday morning earlier than being pushed to Baltimore with one other exercise deliberate on Monday. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who received his first Derby in 16 makes an attempt, will once more have the mount.
“We’ve been just monitoring that situation with all the love that he’s shown us on the racetrack,” Restrepo added. “We’re making an attempt to bestow that upon him and provides him the time to point out us what’s up and all the pieces that he did previous to the Derby.
“It’s continued all the way through, so that type of consistency merits a shot at the Preakness.”
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