DARRS Inc.'s Proforma (Munnings), decisive winner of the Fair Grounds' six-furlong Sugar Bowl S. Saturday, is likely to focus primarily on sprint races in the near future, trainer Mike Stidham said Sunday. Although the Sugar Bowl is traditionally the starting point for the New Orleans oval's series of GI Kentucky Derby preps over increasing distances, Stidham said he believes the colt's pedigree and build indicate that he may be better as a one-turn horse.
“I don't want to commit to saying he definitely can't go two turns, but when you look at the pedigree, it is kind of sprint on sprint,” Stidham observed. “When you look at the horse himself, he screams fast and has a big hip and big shoulder like a lot of sprinters and that build is often more conducive to a one-turn type of horse. Of course, I don't want to say no to anything yet, as Munnings has thrown some good two-turn horses, but my inclination so far is to stay short with him.”
Proforma has accomplished much in a short period of time, finishing third on debut at Churchill Downs Nov. 4 and improving to graduate at second asking going six furlongs there Nov. 27. Back in three weeks following that effort for the Sugar Bowl, the chestnut rated just off the pace in fourth and rallied past heavily favored Running Mate (Creative Cause) to score by three lengths.
“He was a little more tactical this time,” Stidham said. “At the half-mile pole Florent gunned him a little to get in position and he had instant acceleration like a sports car and then was able to settle again and re-break again in the stretch. That's what separates the good from the average ones and was very exciting to watch.”
Stidham added that he does not have a particular race in mind for Proforma's next start, but would focus on getting the colt prepared for some of the lucrative one-turn races for 3-year-olds in the spring.
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