Godolphin Racing's two-time graded stakes winner Avery Island (Street Sense), who recently kicked off his sophomore season with a victory in the GIII Withers S. Feb. 3, is likely to have one final prep race for the GI Kentucky Derby in the Mar. 24 GII Louisiana Derby, according to a news posting by Godolphin's J.A. McGrath Tuesday. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said the colt will point to the cornerstone of the Fair Grounds meet, with the Apr. 7 GII Blue Grass S. at Keeneland and GII Wood Memorial at Aqueduct as backup plans.
“The Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds fits us well for Avery Island,” McLaughlin said. “It is seven weeks since the Withers at Aqueduct, and six weeks before the Kentucky Derby. We are tentatively pointing that way. The timing is good.”
Meanwhile, McLaughlin said that Enticed (Medaglia d'Oro), winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. last autumn and recently fourth in the GII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Feb. 3, will probably shorten up to a one-turn mile for his next start in the GIII Gotham S. Mar. 10. The race is likely a stepping stone towards a final Kentucky Derby prep in April.
“I would like him to have two runs before the Kentucky Derby, and he needs to perform well to get to Churchill Downs,” McLaughlin said.
Both colts are slated to have workouts at McLaughlin's winter base at Palm Meadows Friday.
McLaughlin added that Lucullan (Hard Spun), who recently returned from a brief layoff to impressive annex a second-level optional claiming event over the Gulfstream Park turf Feb. 11, would likely join Avery Island on the Mar. 24 Fair Grounds card in the GII Mervin Muniz Memorial H. The 4-year-old has won three times from five tries on grass, never finishing worse than third.
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