Dream Maestro Going in Right Direction to Holy Bull
Trainer Bill Kaplan considered Herb and Ione Elkins’ 3-year-old gelding Dream Maestro as a top prospect before his career debut at Calder late last year, possibly even a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender.
Kaplan continues to hold the chestnut son of Concerto in high regard as Dream Maestro gets ready for his stakes debut in next Saturday’s $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3), going 1 3/16 miles at Gulfstream Park, after breaking his maiden last out over a ‘sloppy’ the track on Mar. 23 in his fifth career start.
“It was frustrating when he ran so well against some nice horses earlier in the meet and was getting beat those short margins,” said Kaplan Saturday morning. “But he always kept running and was still learning. He just does what he needs to and looks like he is getting it right now.
“We didn’t nominate him to the Triple Crown, so those races aren’t an option, but I think he can go on to some other nice races like maybe the Ohio Derby (a $300,000, Grade 2 race on May 31 at Thistledown),” said Kaplan, who ran two horses in last year’s Kentucky Derby with Imawildandcrazyguy finishing fourth behind Street Sense as a 30-1 longshot and Storm in May finishing 16th.
Kaplan has built a reputation over the years for developing young stakes prospects that he picked out for various clients and purchased for moderate prices, including Imawildandcrazyguy, who was a $17,000 OBS August yearling purchase. Dream Maestro came out of the OBS April 2-year-old sales for $72,000.
Dream Maestro didn’t get to the races until Dec. 29 at Calder when he finished second by a length going seven furlongs. In four starts since at Gulfstream, he finished third twice and second once before breaking his maiden going nine furlongs last out by a neck.
Others listed probable/possible for the Holy Bull include Patriot Stable’s Famous Patriot, James Cavanaugh and Chris Pallas’ Mambo Meister, Richard Brand’s Web Gem, Off The Hook LLC’s Samba Rooster and Bea Oxenberg’s Hey Byrn.
Violette Steering Kohana ‘Under the Radar’ to Arkansas
West Point Stables’ 3-year-old colt Kohana has relied on substance over flash in his two victories this winter at Gulfstream Park. It’s why the 2-for-2 son of Indian Charlie will be an under-the-radar raider when he travels to Oaklawn Park next Saturday for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G2).
Kohana breezed Saturday morning at Palm Meadows Training Center for trainer Rick Violette, timed five furlongs in 1:02.
“All systems are go,” said Violette after the work. “It went well. It was supposed to be a nice maintenance work and he galloped out quite well.”
The Arkansas Derby will be the Kentucky-bred colt’s first two-turn race and first stakes effort after breaking his maiden comfortably here on Feb. 1 at seven furlongs and stretching out to a one-turn mile with relative ease in a Mar. 20 allowance race.
In both races so far, Kohana has ‘edged away’ from his competition, winning both times by about the same margin – 1½ lengths and 1¾ lengths. In a winter that has seen flashy 3-year-old performances by Florida Derby (G1) winner Big Brown, eventual stakes winners Visionaire, Adriano and others, Kohana’s wins have been overlooked.
“He’s been under the radar mainly because he’s been such a pro in his races,” said Violette. “He waits on the rider in the afternoons and shifts gears when he’s asked. He’s not as quick in the mornings, but I don’t think you could ask for two better races than he’s given us so far.”
The looming concern for Violette is the expected big field gathering in Hot Springs.
“We certainly don’t want to be parked outside in post 13 or 14,” said Violette. “He’s got quite good speed, but you’d rather not have to use it to avoid going three or four-wide on the first turn. Something in the middle would probably be fine for a first race around two turns, but hopefully, we don’t have to really step on the gas right away.”
Kohana will team with Southern California-based jockey David Flores for the Arkansas Derby.
Other prominent names in the Violette stable are getting evaluations before they make their next appearances. West Point’s 4-year-old Grade 1-winning sprinting filly Dream Rush just resumed full training after a minor hind leg injury knocked her from the Shirley Jones Handicap (G2) here and the Distaff Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct last month.
“We want to get a breeze into her first before we start circling dates,” he said.
Owner Halsey Minor transferred Florida Derby 10th-place finisher Fierce Wind to Violette earlier this week. The colt has been shipped to Kesmark Rehabilitation Center outside Lexington, Ky.
“We’re going over him nose to tail to see if there’s anything we can tweak or come up with a reason why he ran such a disappointing race,” said Violette.
Bicoastal & Drop a Line Clash in Monday Feature
Andrew Rosen’s 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly Bicoastal showed promise by placing in a Group stakes in France in her first 10 starts in Europe for trainer Brian Meehan. She won her American debut at Keeneland last fall before a dull try when eighth with a rough trip in the Cardinal Handicap (G3) at Churchill Downs in November for trainer Andrew McKeever.
The chestnut daughter of Gone West resurfaced this season with trainer Marty Wolfson, finishing a close-up fourth in a ‘two other than’ allowance over the Gulfstream Park turf course on Mar. 7 and is entered in a similar condition test Monday at 1 1/8th miles with jockey Eddie Castro aboard.
Another solid contender in the field of 10 fillies and mares is J. Mack Robinson’s 4-year-old homebred filly Drop a Line with jockey E.T. Baird in the saddle for trainer Graham Motion. The daughter of Lemon Drop Kid has run well in all of her six starts, including a fourth-place effort against a strong field last out over the course on Feb. 17 when beaten only 1½ lengths.
Completing the field for Monday’s feature are Martin Cherry’s Tough Apples, Soldi Stable’s Catching, Victor Kresic’s Marista, Richland Hill’s O Deanne O, Keith Early’s Top Time, Team Valor Stable’s Sally Bowles, Alan Benning’s Lady Tropicana and Sophia Gazader’s Red Pride.