Dolphus moved to Jerkens, will start Sunday in Stymie Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Dolphus, a half-brother to champion and Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra, has been transferred by owner Dede McGehee to trainer Jimmy Jerkens. He will make his first start for Jerkens on Sunday at Aqueduct in the $125,000 Stymie Stakes.

Dolphus, a 4-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky previously trained by Joe Sharp, has won 3 of 9 starts. Most recently, he finished last of nine in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 14, when he got used up in a speed duel. It was after that race that McGehee moved the horse to Jerkens.

“I wanted to try something different with the horse, so we did,” McGehee said Monday as she was driving home from New Orleans, where she attended the wedding of trainer Bret Calhoun.

“I love Joe. Joe did a great job; don’t have any problem with Joe. Just needed to make a change.” McGehee added. “As far as why Jimmy Jerkens, he was highly recommended. I talked to him, he asked the right questions and said the right things.”

Dolphus had a series of stamina-building works at Palm Meadows, including a one-mile move in 1:41.80 on Feb. 25. He shipped up to New York late last week. On Monday, Dolphus breezed five furlongs in 1:02.50 over a Belmont Park training track that was not yielding fast times all morning. He got his last quarter in 24.91 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.80.

“He appears to be a very willing, honest horse,” said Steve Moyer, the Belmont Park-based assistant to Jerkens. “He’s a good-looking, little horse. This seems like a perfect spot.”

Rajiv Maragh will ride Dolphus in the Stymie at 1 1/8 miles.

McGehee said she has not decided if she will come to New York for the race. She said Lotta Kim, the mother of Rachel Alexandra and Dolphus, is due to give birth to a foal by Tapit any day.

“If she’s imminent, I’m not leaving here,” McGehee said.

The Stymie is shaping up to have a large field. Two other contenders who breezed Monday were Send It In and Diversify. Send It In, the winner of the Alex M. Robb and Haynesfield stakes in his last two starts, worked a half-mile in 49.99 seconds in company with Spooked Out. The duo went their first quarter in 25.38 seconds and their second quarter in 24.61.

Diversify, unbeaten in four starts, worked a half-mile in 48.85 by himself.

Others pointing to the race include Admiral Blue, Doyouknowsomething, Grasshoppin, Mr Palmer, Royal Posse, Sunny Ridge, and Turco Bravo, the winner of the last two runnings of the Stymie.