With four more inches of snow over the weekend in Saratoga Springs it’s hard to think about racing. All our (Woodford Racing) horses are in sunny climates though as they prepare for what will hopefully be an exciting year of racing from coast to coast.
Catapult turned 5 in January and is on his way to California to race in 2018. Our leading money earner ($337,584) should be ready for his first start in April. After finishing second in the Grade 2 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup Stakes at Laurel Park in October, Catapult had a small bone chip removed from his left front knee. He has fully recovered and should be extremely competitive racing against older male horses on the turf in California.
Catapult
Engage is with trainer Chad Brown at Gulfstream Park in Ft. Lauderdale. After winning the Grade 3 Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park in October, we gave him the remainder of the year off. With earnings of $156,400 from two wins and a second in three starts in 2017, Engage is now back in training and has had two workouts. While it would have been tempting to go down the Kentucky Derby Trail with Engage, we believe he will be best racing around one turn at distances of 6 furlongs to 1 mile. We are currently targeting the Grade 3, $250,000 Bay Shore Stakes on Saturday, April 7 for Engage’s first race in 2018.
Engage
Campaign is also with Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown at Gulfstream Park. In his only race in 2017 Campaign ran second to a very promising horse named Lone Sailor who is on the Kentucky Derby Trail in 2018. Campaign had his first official workout last week at the Palm Meadows Training facility in Florida.
Campaign
Debating had his first official workout of 2018 last week at Palm Meadows as well. In his only start of 2017 Debating ran 5th on the dirt at Belmont Park. Debating’s sire is Giant’s Causeway so a future racing on the turf is a possibility. Chad would like to see how he progresses in his training before deciding what surface he will run on in his next race.
Two of our other 3 year old colts, Orbiting and Hot Springs, are in training with Steve Asmussen at The Fairgrounds Race Course in New Orleans. Asmussen trained Gun Runner who was named 2017 Horse of the Year in January. Orbiting was the most expensive yearling of his sire (Orb) sold at public auction in 2016 ($425,000). He had his sixth official workout this week and is getting close to making his first start. Hot Springs is by the sire Uncle Mo who continues to be one of the hottest sires in North America. Having completed his fifth official workout this week, Hot Springs readiness to run is not far behind his stablemate Orbiting.
Hot Springs
Orbiting
Our remaining 3 year old colt is Gatlinburg. Gatlinburg is also by the sire Uncle Mo and is currently in light training in Lexington, Kentucky. It is anticipated he will also ship to Steve Asmussen when he is closer to running.
Gatlinburg
Our six two year olds are with the McKathan Brothers in Ocala, Florida learning to be race horses. They are advancing nicely in their training and it is anticipated they will ship North in early May. The two year olds are by proven sires Malibu Moon, Broken Vow, Lemon Drop Kid, Union Rags, Giant’s Causeway and Quality Road. Based on early reports from the McKathan Brothers it looks like we have a nice mix of horses who want to run on dirt and turf. Names for each of the 2 year olds have been submitted to The Jockey Club for approval.
With 13 horses preparing to run from coast to coast in 2018 we are extremely excited. Look for the forest green and yellow silks of Woodford Racing at a track near you!