Barboza feeling good about Grand Mo the First's chances of gaining Derby berth

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Sunday was a very good day for trainer Victor Barboza Jr. and the connections of Grand Mo the First, who got in his first work since finishing a well-beaten third behind Fierceness in the Grade 1 Florida Derby while also moving one step closer to gaining a spot in this year’s Kentucky Derby.

With jockey Emisael Jaramillo aboard, Grand Mo the First breezed five furlongs in 1:03.95 seconds over a Gulfstream Park track that had become a bit on the deep side by the time he went out to work at 8:05 a.m., about a half-hour after the course re-opened following the first renovation break. Jaramillo kept Grand Mo the First well in reserve and several paths off the rail from the outset. The son of Uncle Mo posted an opening three-eighths split in a pedestrian 39.37 before picking up his pace down the lane and galloping out six furlongs in 1:18.05 while remaining wide into the clubhouse turn.

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A short while later Barboza learned that No More Time, who was among the top 20 3-year-olds on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard when the day began, had been withdrawn from consideration for the race after pulling up from his work at the Palm Meadows training center with a condylar fracture of his left front leg. The development elevated Grand Mo the First to 21st place, just one spot from qualifying for this year’s Derby field.

“It was very bad news from Palm Meadows this morning, I feel badly for the connections of No More Time,” Barboza said several hours after the incident. “But that puts us 21 on the list, which I think is a good position. I think it gives us a very good chance to get into the race.”

Although Grand Mo the First’s work on Sunday was anything but eye-catching, it was exactly what Barboza was expecting and looking for coming out of the Florida Derby two weeks ago.

“He’s never a very flashy work horse, but he looked very happy and relaxed this morning, and I liked the way he finished strong and galloped out after the wire,” Barboza said. “And having Emisael aboard was very important. He did a very good job.”

Barboza has mapped out a schedule for Grand Mo the First moving forward with the expectation of being in the starting lineup when entries are drawn for the 2024 Kentucky Derby on Saturday, April 27.

“He will have one more workout and that will be here on the 23rd,” Barboza said. “He will gallop and school in the gate, but not work after he gets to Churchill Downs. It is the same schedule I used for Petulante before he won the allowance race there on Derby day last year.”

Barboza also confirmed that Jaramillo, who had guided Grand Mo the First to victory in his first two career starts prior to re-uniting with the colt for his third-place finish in the Florida Derby, will retain the mount in the Derby.

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