Dilger mulls whether to try Jan's Reserve going long in Jerome

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Michael Dilger will have more to think about this coming week than what Santa will bring him for Christmas.

Dilger will spend a good part of the next two weeks deciding whether to keep his soon-to-be 3-year-old stakes winner Jan’s Reserve sprinting or give him a shot to stretch out around two turns.

On Nov. 27, Jan’s Reserve rallied from well off the pace to win the King’s Swan Stakes by 7 1/2 lengths. He ran six furlongs in 1:10.43 and earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure. Immediately after the race, Dilger said Jan’s Reserve likely would ship to south Florida and point for a sprint stakes at Gulfstream Park.

But Jan’s Reserve is still in New York, and on Wednesday, he worked five furlongs in 1:01.25 – the fastest of 15 moves at the distance. Dilger said Jan’s Reserve will be nominated to both the $125,000 Lost in the Fog Stakes going six furlongs at Aqueduct on Jan. 1 and the Grade 3, $200,000 Jerome Stakes going a mile and 70 yards on Jan. 2.

“The way he settled in his last race makes you think he might have the temperament to stay on. Whether he has the stamina in his pedigree is the question,” Dilger said by phone from Florida. “He has another work before he runs in either race, and I’ll be up there for that.”

Jan’s Reserve is a son of Ready’s Image out of the Pine Bluff mare Reserve Bid. Prior to winning the King’s Swan, Jan’s Reserve had won his maiden on turf in his third race over that surface.

Others pointing to the Jerome are Flexibility, second in the Nashua and Remsen; the impressive maiden winner Matt King Coal; and Sallisaw.

Meanwhile, Dilger won an allowance race Thursday with 30-1 shot Karen’s Silk, who ran by 1-2 favorite Tonasah and Wait Your Turn to win a six-furlong race by a half-length.

Karen’s Silk was coming off a maiden win Oct. 17 at Delaware Park. She was pointing to the Furlough Stakes at Aqueduct on Thanksgiving Day but missed some training time due to a temperature.

She is a graduate of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. auctions, which makes her eligible for one of two races there Jan. 26. She could run in a $50,000 sprint at six furlongs for a $100,000 route at 1 1/16 miles.

Both Jan’s Reserve and Karen’s Silk are owned by GRD Two Racing.