Whitham Thoroughbreds' Burnham Square (Liam's Map), coming off a troubled sixth-place effort in the GI Kentucky Derby, is now being aimed at the June 8 GIII Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs, trainer Ian Wilkes confirmed.
Jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. had to check repeatedly aboard Burnham Square in the Derby when when Admire Daytona (Jpn) (Drefong) slowed abruptly in front of him.
“In a 20-horse field, somebody is going to have trouble and I guess it was my turn,” Wilkes said the morning after the race. “I thought he ran a terrific race. He got stopped at the half-mile pole when everybody else was making their move and then he got going again to get sixth. Without the trouble, I think he would have been in the top three.”
Burnham Square opened his sophomore campaign with a win in the Feb. 1 GIII Holy Bull Stakes and, after finishing fourth in the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes, he won the Apr. 8 GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.
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