Promising Start at Keeneland for Colebrook

by Michael Illiano 
Trainer Ben Colebrook was pleasantly surprised when he recorded his first win of and a runner-up finish in 2014 Keeneland meet Saturday. After a harsh winter that cost his charges crucial works, his runners proved ready to contend in Saturday’s tests. 
The 35-year-old Colebrook, whose father was a trainer, began working as an exercise rider before getting a job as an assistant trainer to Christophe Clement for four and a half years. He set out on his own in August of 2012, and recorded his first win that November. He has five winners in 25 starts in 2014 so far. 
World Is Watching (Any Given Saturday), who is owned by Michael Hernon and George Waggoner Stables, went off as a 17-1 outsider in Saturday’s 
1 1/16-mile test and trailed the field early, but was able to close strongly under a skillful James Graham ride and win his first start by a neck. 
“I knew he’d be outfooted early, but I expected him to close well,” Colebrook said. “I was cautiously optimistic that he would run well, but I was surprised he won first out. With the winter we had, he was probably a work or two behind where I wanted him to be.” 
Considering his late start and the training lost during the winter, Colebrook said that World is Watching is more developed than he expected. 
“He’s a big gelding and he looks like the kind of horse who would improve with a race, so I was kind of surprised he was able to win that calibar of race his first time out,” Colebrook said. 
Colebrook had another promising first-timer Saturday in Nobadeer (First Samurai), who took the lead in the stretch of his seven furlong debut, but faltered late to finish as the runner-up at 19-1. The 3-year-old grandson of MGISW Dispute (Danziag) is a homebred from Dixiana Farms. 
“I was very happy with how he ran,” Colebrook said. “I was surprised he showed enough speed to get on the lead.” 
Initially, Colebrook envisioned Nobadeer as a turf miler, but considering the horse’s performance in his debut, he expects to run in a turf sprint next out. 
“My first inclination would be to try him back on the grass,” Colebrook said. “Being that he showed so much speed I might try him sprinting on the grass. I’d be a little reluctant to go to the dirt yet.” 
Nobadeer’s workmate Reeder (Speightstown) is scheduled to make his first start in a 6 1/2-furlong race at Keeneland Thursday. The 3-year-old colt was a $120,000 KEESEP yearling and is also owned by Dixiana Farms. Colebrook said that he expects the additional training time and the shorter distance to benefit Reeder. 
“I think he’ll run well. I was able to work him once more than Nobadeer, so I expect him to be a little bit tighter,” Colebrook said. “He’s a heavy horse–he’s very muscular–so he might need a run. The race has a lot of first-time starters so it’s hard to know what you’re up against, but I anticipate he’ll make a good showing.”