Canaletto impresses in debut
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – While entries were being taken for Saturday’s Grade 3, $275,000 Holy Bull Stakes for Kentucky Derby hopefuls, a budding star was unveiled Sunday afternoon on Gulfstream’s main track.
Canaletto, a son of Into Mischief and a half-brother to Sandman, a Grade-1 winning 3-year-old of 2025, romped to an eight-length victory in a one-mile maiden race. Canaletto, from the same connections of Sierra Leone, ran a mile in 1:36.28 under Flavien Prat and earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. Canaletto is trained by Chad Brown.
Michael Tabor, one of the principal owners of the colt, was on hand to watch the $1 million yearling purchase perform.
“You have to be impressed,” Tabor said. “Speaking to the jock after the race, he’s suitably impressed. Does Kentucky [Derby] come a bit quick for him? Maybe. It’d be nice to get there. Justify did it.”
Tabor was referring, of course, to Justify, who won his career debut on Feb. 18 and a first-level allowance on March 11 before capturing the Santa Anita Derby on April 7. Justify would then go on to sweep the Triple Crown.
Tabor said after the race that he spoke with Brown, who mentioned the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby as a possible next start for Canaletto. Tabor owns Canaletto with Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, Brook Smith, and Peter Brant.
Prat said Canaletto was a “bit studdish in the paddock, but as soon as I got on the track, he was a real pro and did everything right in the race.
Prat added that he was glad to be on the outside part of the track, where he was sitting right off of Spartacus, a horse trained by Todd Pletcher who’s also owned by Tabor.
“It looked like [Spartacus] was going well on the turn. I wanted to keep him busy,” Prat said. “As soon as I got next to him, I felt like I was in control. As soon as I asked him to run, he really kicked on.”
◗ Drexel Hill, the 2025 Kentucky Oaks runner-up who won the Wayward Lass Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs last month, worked a half-mile in 49.60 seconds Sunday morning at the Payson Park training center.
Drexel Hill, trained by Whit Beckman, is pointing to the Grade 3, $150,000 Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream on Feb. 14. Drexel Hill worked in company with the 3-year-old filly Nycon, who started one length behind Drexel Hill and was the same distance back at the wire. Drexel Hill galloped out well in front.
“[I] was looking for something quiet, against the bridle, and that’s what it was,” Beckman said. “She hasn’t missed a beat since the [Wayward Lass].”
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