European import John F Kennedy joins Lobo's barn

ARCADIA, Calif. – John F Kennedy, a Galileo colt who at one time was the future-book favorite for the 2015 English Derby, has joined trainer Paulo Lobo’s stable at Santa Anita for an expected campaign this summer.

Last month, John F Kennedy was sold as a stallion prospect by Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Flaxman Stables to a South American group which included Nicolas Ojea Quintana of Argentina, Lobo said. A 4-year-old, John F Kennedy has been in training with Lobo for a month.

Lobo said John F Kennedy could race this spring and summer and be sent to South America for stud duty later this year.

“It depends on how he performs,” Lobo said. “If he does okay, maybe he’ll stay another year.”

John F Kennedy has won 2 of 6 starts, including the Grade 3 John Deere Juvenile Turf in Ireland in 2014. He was winless in three starts in 2015, and was taken out of consideration for the English Derby after he finished last of seven in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York, England, last May. John F Kennedy made one more start in Europe, finishing third in the Grade 3 Enterprise Stakes in Ireland last September.

Lobo, best known for training 2002 champion 3-year-old filly Farda Amiga, said he plans to target turf races with John F Kennedy in California.