Dutrow bullish on Messier in Forty Niner

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A year ago at this time, trainer Rick Dutrow was preparing the 16th-place finisher from the 2022 Kentucky Derby to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Saturday, Dutrow will try to get the 15th-place finisher from the 2022 Kentucky Derby to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Forty Niner Stakes at Aqueduct.

The same enthusiasm that Dutrow had in the weeks leading up to the 2023 Classic with White Abarrio is evident once again as he prepares Messier for Saturday’s Forty Niner. Messier, previously trained by Bob Baffert, Tim Yakteen and, for one race, Kevin Attard, hasn’t run since he won the Grade 3 Westchester for Dutrow here May 3.

Since then, Messier had to undergo knee surgery for a second time. Add in two prior throat operations and one colic surgery and Messier, a 5-year-old son of Empire Maker, has certainly had his share of issues. But to hear Dutrow tell it, Messier is primed to make another comeback.

“He’s doing as good as I’ve ever seen him doing and this has been going on for 45 days,” Dutrow said. “Everybody knows this horse has got a lot of talent and when he’s doing this good in the mornings – which is what I judge it by – I’m excited about running him.”

Messier has won four races and is a graded stakes winner at 2, 3, and this year. He was runner-up in the 2022 Santa Anita Derby before his 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Prior to his victory in the Westchester, Messier was penalized for interference when disqualified from a win in the Excelsior going 1 1/8 miles in March.

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The Forty Niner, like the Westchester, is run as a one-turn mile and is the local prep for the Grade 2 Cigar Mile here Dec. 7.

“I know he can get a mile one-turn the right way. I know he can get a mile and an eighth around two turns the right way,” Dutrow said. “This is a good spot, he’s on a track he’s run well at. I’m very happy with him.”

The only thing Dutrow is not happy about is the fact Messier has to carry 126 pounds, spotting 2 to 8 pounds to his seven rivals.

Chief among those rivals is Coastal Mission, the 5-year-old West Virginia-bred gelding who has won 13 of 24 starts, including, most recently, the Parx Dirt Mile, where he was last early, had to rally widest of all in the lane, and narrowly beat Repo Rocks, who also is in this field.

“He got shuffled back, squeezed leaving there, and was four wide turning for home, so he overcame a little bit to win last time,” trainer Jeff Runco said.

In his last visit to New York, Coastal Mission finished second to Mullikin in the Grade 2 John Nerud at Aqueduct in July. Mullikin came back to win the Grade 1 Forego and is on his way to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Repo Rocks was never better than in the winter/spring of 2023, when he won the Grade 3 Toboggan, the Stymie, and Westchester in New York and was second in the then-Grade 1 Carter. At the time he was trained by Jamie Ness. After making a few starts for Dutrow, Repo Rocks has made his last three starts for Ness, which includes a win in a restricted allowance on Aug. 22 at Colonial.

Nelson Avenue has won two straight for Wayne Potts since he claimed him for $40,000 in August. Film Star, Stage Raider, and Jefferson Street, the lone 3-year-old in the field, complete the lineup.

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