Miles D invades fairgrounds for Mineshaft

Coach Chad Brown begins planning an ambitious campaign for 4-year-olds EASY mile immediately son of Curlin run down a stubborn guy Speaker corner to capture last November’s Discovery Shares at Aqueduct race track.

Brown told the NYRA media team after the foal’s win that a potential trip to Saudi Arabia to win the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) could be in his future. pony. While that race is clearly undisputed, there are some important gems on the winding road to the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) that await Miles D.

“If (Miles D) goes one step further next year, enters all the handicap races and succeeds in one or more of them, he has a lot of stallion potential. ,” said Chad Brown back in November. “Races like the Whitney Stakes (G1) or the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) are pretty important races for me.”

And so the Light Mile begins a promising 2022 season on February 19 as a $250,000 Spindle Stock (G3) for older horses that go 1 1/6 mile at Fair Grounds & Slots.

Owned by Peter Brant and Robert LaPenta, Miles D. broke her maiden last June at Belmont Park eight months into his layoff, Brown noted “the patience of our team and our two owners. They never questioned him for a moment.” That patient approach allows the foal to make its way through the strict Triple Crown sequence and bloom like a late-blooming 3-year-old. After his maiden break, he finished second in the Curlin Stakes and solid third at 18-1 after Necessary quality and Midnight Bourbon in Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1).

Transported from the winter home base of Brown’s Payson Park Training Center in South Florida, Miles D. will be driven by Jose Ortiz on Mineshaft.

Another hot candidate going to New Orleans from Payson Park is trained Bill Mott Olympiad . Keeneland $700,000 aspiration in September, the Olympiad stamped itself as a horse to watch this winter after a 7 1/4 length domination win in a subsidized option claim contest on January 15 at Gulfstream Park. While competing for Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods, Olympiad won the £116 Equibase Speed ​​Number for his performance. Wednesday in the December 4 Cigar Bets offered by NYRA Bets (G1) on a less than ideal ride, Speighstown colt will be looking for his first bet win on Saturday.

Local hero O Besos will await the Florida invaders. Intern Greg Foley has won three of his five races on the Fair Grounds strip, including one claimant’s last allowance option on January 2, in which he won by one. after a slug festival with Brave heart reduce the length of the extension. Intrepid Heart will also be back up and running this Saturday, but will compete in an event claiming a $101,000 grant option at Oaklawn Park.

O Besos, campaigned by Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry Stephens, made headlines last year on the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) after finishing in second place. Fourth place in the Risen Star Stakes was presented by Followed by Lamarque Ford (G2) excellent third in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) where he lost to Midnight Bourbon to take the runner-up title. Bravery Globe colt then finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby and second in Matt Winn Stakes (G3). The tally of his January 2 optional claim was his first attempt in nearly six months.