Avery Island could get two more starts before Kentucky Derby

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jockey Joe Bravo said Avery Island is a physically talented colt who still has more to learn. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he may give Avery Island two more starts to get the education necessary for the Kentucky Derby.

Avery Island made a successful 3-year-old debut Saturday at Aqueduct, winning the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes by two lengths over multiple stakes winner Firenze Fire. McLaughlin said Sunday morning that Avery Island came out of the race in good shape and would return to the Palm Meadows training center in south Florida on Tuesday.

McLaughlin said he and the team from Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing would evaluate their options for Avery Island, adding that it is “very possible” that the colt would have two more races before the Derby on May 5.

“If we can find the right races for him,” McLaughlin said. “If not, we have to find the right one.”

McLaughlin said the Fountain of Youth on March 3 or the Tampa Bay Derby on March 10 are logical options for Avery Island, though he also trains Enticed for Godolphin, and that horse is possible for either of those two spots. Enticed finished fourth in Saturday’s Grade 2 Holy Bull at Gulfstream.

McLaughlin discounted the Grade 3, $350,000 Gotham at Aqueduct on March 10 for Avery Island – but not for Enticed – because that race is a one-turn mile. Avery Island has made his last two starts at 1 1/8 miles.

Running on March 3 or March 10 would enable McLaughlin to run Avery Island back in the Wood Memorial here on April 7 if he desires. Avery Island has two stakes wins and a runner-up finish in the Remsen over Aqueduct’s main track.

McLaughlin somewhat agreed with Bravo that Avery Island needs more of an education but added, “He’s learned his lessons well because he was able to switch off and let the other horse go and then come back on and responded well when asked. I think it was a great spot for us yesterday. It worked out very well.”

In the Withers, Avery Island sat just off the pacesetter, Coltandmississippi, before advancing to the lead at the three-eighths pole. He opened up a clear advantage at the top of the lane, but Bravo kept busy on him – going to his whip four times left-handed and twice right-handed – in the final furlong to get the win.

Avery Island ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.01 and earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He’s a big baby, and he’s just learning,” Bravo said after the race. “I want to let him know the last eighth of a mile, it’s run time.”

Firenze Fire outfinished Marconi by a half-length for second. Firenze Fire got a bit rank with Trevor McCarthy straightening away down the backside and was within 2 1/2 lengths of the lead six furlongs from the wire. He fought on through the lane but wasn’t gaining on Avery Island.

“I don’t think he had a problem with the mile and an eighth,” trainer Jason Servis said. “He got rank with Trevor down the backside, and that probably hurt him a little.”

Servis said he and owner Ron Lombardi agreed to point Firenze Fire to the Gotham Stakes. A top-three finish most likely would give Firenze Fire the necessary points to get into the Kentucky Derby field. Firenze Fire, the winner of the Grade 1 Champagne and Jerome stakes, has 24 qualifying points.

Marconi, third in the Withers, will ship to trainer Todd Pletcher’s Palm Beach Downs barn on Tuesday. His next start has yet to be determined.

Pletcher felt Marconi ran well to be beaten only 2 1/2 lengths in his first start against winners. He got squeezed at the start, the track appeared to favor forwardly placed runners, and he shied away from Firenze Fire, who was drifting out a little in the stretch.

“He always breaks slow, but he broke slow and got squeezed, which made it even worse,” Pletcher said. “Considering everything working against him, I thought it was an encouraging effort.”

– additional reporting by Mike Welsch