Exaggerator to train for Pennsylvania Derby at Churchill

ELMONT, N.Y. – Exaggerator, the three-time Grade 1-winning 3-year-old who finished 11th as the favorite in the Travers, was set to leave Saratoga on Friday morning and van to Churchill Downs, where he will continue preparations for the Grade 2, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 24.

Trainer Keith Desormeaux had hoped to ship the horse to Keeneland, where he will be all next week for the yearling auction, but there was no available stall space for him. In returning to Churchill, Exaggerator will be at the track where he finished second in the Kentucky Derby and spent a week before winning the Preakness Stakes.

Since the Preakness, results have been mixed for Exaggerator. He finished 11th in the Belmont Stakes and Travers, sandwiched around a victory over Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth.

Following the Travers, Exaggerator scoped with “a trace of mucus” in his trachea, Desormeaux said, but he wasn’t using that as an excuse.

“He never showed any signs of being sick,” Desormeaux said. “We did the typical light training routine for a couple of weeks, and he’s rebounded nicely. Same old Exaggerator.”

Desormeaux said the Pennsylvania Derby makes sense for a variety of reasons. First, it’s the last significant race restricted to 3-year-olds this year, and a victory over Nyquist could go far in securing an Eclipse Award as top 3-year-old male. Second, Desormeaux wants another race in Exaggerator before an attempt at the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Third, with both Nyquist and Exaggerator in the race, the pot of the Pennsylvania Derby increases to $1.25 million. Also, with Exaggerator having won the Preakness and Haskell, Desormeaux and the owners of the colt receive a $100,000 bonus for just running in the race.

“There’s no doubt the monetary incentive, the purse being $1.25 million, it’s restricted to 3-year-olds – the last opportunity to run against restricted horses in his life – means a lot, it’s compelling,” Desormeaux said. “But no doubt that Exaggerator is not going anywhere unless he’s 100 percent healthy. I’m going for the sale next week; I‘ll get my eyes on him and make the right decision.”