Global Campaign mapping out path to Travers Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though trainer Stanley Hough didn’t rule out the Belmont Stakes for Peter Pan Stakes winner Global Campaign, he believes there may be better options for the 3-year-old colt, whose major summer goal would likely be the Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 24.

“There are so many spots available,” Hough said Sunday morning from Kentucky. “Me personally, I want to build on that [effort]. To say we’re going to go to the Belmont … the Triple Crown brings you there, it’s whoever survives the battle. To go there right now, I’m not sure it would be the best thing, but we wouldn’t rule anything out.”

Depending on how quickly Global Campaign recovers from the Peter Pan, races like the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on June 22 or the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont on July 6 could be better options. Hough called the Dwyer “a favorable option,” and it could set him up for races like the Jim Dandy and the Travers, both at Saratoga this summer.

“The Travers is second to the Derby and is what everybody would want to go for – that would be the ultimate goal,” Hough said. “It’s how you get there. Certainly, the Dwyer and Jim Dandy are designed to bring you there.”

In the Peter Pan, Global Campaign was making his first start since the Fountain of Youth on March 2 at Gulfstream Park. Global Campaign finished fifth in that race but came out of it with an injured left front foot and needed time off.

Global Campaign ran in the Peter Pan only after failing to draw into the Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on May 4. In the Peter Pan, Global Campaign stalked the pacesetting Federal Case for the opening three-quarters of a mile before taking over at the five-sixteenths pole. He had a three-length lead in midstretch and won by 1 1/4 lengths over a late-running Sir Winston. He ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.71 and earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Global Campaign, a son of Curlin owned by Sagamore Farm and WinStar Farm, is now 3 for 4.

“I do think he’s a really, really good horse,” Hough said. “He got a lot of talk after his first couple of races. I think he had a major excuse in the Fountain of Youth. Now, he’s back to where people are noticing him. He’s got the pedigree to be a major horse, and he’s got the ability. I personally want to make it to where he’s a wanted sire. I think he’s got that ability.”

Hough said Global Campaign did get stepped on “over his heel, down the pastern” of his right hind in the Peter Pan, but “it wasn’t bad,” and he shouldn’t miss any time.

Global Campaign was scheduled to leave Belmont on Monday by van and arrive at Churchill Downs early Tuesday morning. Global Campaign will ship back with Recruiting Ready, second, beaten 4 3/4 lengths by Firenze Fire, in Saturday’s $150,000 Runhappy Stakes.

Hough said Recruiting Ready did step on himself in the right front, which could impact his chances of running back in the Grade 2, $250,000 True North Stakes here on June 7, which had been the plan.

“I’m afraid it might come up a little too fast,” Hough said. “If he didn’t do that, he’d have been a closer second, but he’d have been second. I don’t care what happened; [Firenze Fire] ran great.”

Firenze Fire improved his record at Belmont Park to 3 for 3 with his impressive victory in the Runhappy.

Owner Ron Lombardi said Saturday the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap is his target with the 4-year-old son of Poseidon’s Warrior.

“That’s originally what we were pointing for,” trainer Jason Servis told Monmouth Park publicity on Sunday. “But I’ll get with Ron to see what options we have as far as sprinting. The way he ran, and doing it in hand, the Met Mile is obviously a stallion race, so it’s tempting. We’ll sit down and figure it out shortly after we see everything that is available.”

Firenze Fire earned a 106 Beyer on Saturday. His career-best Beyer is a 107, earned in the Dwyer, a one-turn-mile race at Belmont last summer.