Blue Lion Thoroughbreds has two runners in Gotham Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – David Lyon says he’s a realist when it comes to owning Thoroughbreds.

“You have to be,” Lyon said. “You’ll be out of this business if you’re not.”

But Lyon said there is always room to dream. He, his partners in Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, and their partners will be living the dream Saturday with two 3-year-olds among the 10 entered in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, Craig Taylor, and Victoria Taylor (unrelated) have a horse in Morello that’s 2 for 2 and likely the first or second choice in the one-mile Gotham. Morello is trained by Steve Asmussen.

In Fromanothamutha, Blue Lion with partners Craig Taylor, Peter Rinato, and trainer Ray Handal have a horse that has kept good company, is coming off a maiden victory, and figures to be prominent early.

They are two of seven horses Blue Lion has in training.

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“It’s absolutely surreal,” Lyon, who owns a commercial real estate appraisal firm in Manhattan, said Wednesday. “Just a few years ago we were all excited for Blue Lion to have a horse running in the 12th race at Saratoga on a Sunday and winning at 39-1. Now, to have a possible favorite in the Gotham and then have another horse who could probably get this distance pretty easily is beyond exciting. I’m pinching myself every day.”

Lyon, 48, said he first got involved in horse ownership a decade ago, as part of the West Point Thoroughbreds syndicate. He began Blue Lion – an ode in part to the colors of his alma mater, Saratoga High School – in 2016. Blue Lion is also a partner in Belladonna Racing, which last summer won the Shine Again Stakes at Saratoga with Bayerness.

At $250,000, Morello was the most expensive horse Blue Lion has bought at auction. A son of 2016 champion 2-year-old and 2017 Preakness runner-up Classic Empire, Morello won a six-furlong maiden race on Nov. 27 by 4 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct. Ten weeks later, Morello won the seven-furlong Jimmy Winkfield by five lengths. The one-mile Gotham – which offers the winner 50 qualifying points to the May 7 Kentucky Derby – is the next logical step with perhaps two turns in his future thereafter.

“The way he galloped out the last couple of races showed me we definitely could do some dreaming, but we take one race at a time,” Lyon said, referring to the Derby. “That being said, I told all my partners enjoy this week. This is special; most people don’t get there.

“It’s hard to win one race in this sport, so I’m not telling people to put it out of their head. I want people to read all the articles, hit refresh for the entries. I want people to be excited. We’re certainly dreaming. We’ll see what happens on Saturday; that’s why you put them in the gate.”

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Morello, who will be ridden by Jose Lezcano, drew post 9 in the Gotham.

Fromanothamutha, a son of Unified, lost his first five races but ran into some solid horses such as Mo Donegal and My Prankster in maiden races. On Jan. 13, Fromanothamutha scored a 4 1/4-length, front-running victory, earning an 87 Beyer Speed Figure, which will be the highest earned by anyone in this field.

“Fromanothamutha is just an underrated, under-the-radar type of horse,” Lion said. “This distance is going to be in his wheelhouse.”

Dylan Davis rides Fromanothamutha from post 4.

Runninsonofagun drew the rail in the Gotham, which goes as the last of 10 on Saturday’s card. He is followed by Glider, Golden Code, Fromanothamutha, Dean’s List, Life Is Great, Noneedtoworry, Bold Journey, Morello, and Rockefeller.