Good Magic to get rest of the year off

ELMONT, N.Y. – While Triple Crown winner Justify transitions into his life of retirement, the three horses who finished immediately behind him in the Kentucky Derby 4 1/2 months ago are making news.

Good Magic, the Derby runner-up and 2-year-old champion of 2017, will get the remainder of the year off, trainer Chad Brown confirmed on Monday. Good Magic, who finished ninth as the favorite in the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga, is getting a break at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, Ky. Barbara Banke, the head of Stonestreet, owns Good Magic in partnership Bob Edwards’ e Five Racing.

Shortly after the Travers, Good Magic’s connections announced that he would get checked out at a veterinary clinic and then get some time on the farm.

A decision on when or if he returns to racing will be made at a later time, Brown said.

“He needs some time,” Brown said Monday in his office at Belmont Park. “A decision on his future will be made in the coming weeks, but he’s done for the season. No major problems, just a couple of little things where he could use a break.”

Good Magic, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as a maiden, won the Grade 2 Blue Grass before running second to Justify in the Kentucky Derby. He dueled with Justify in the Preakness, ultimately giving way to finish fourth. After skipping the Belmont, Good Magic won the Grade 1 Haskell before failing to fire in the Travers.

Meanwhile, Audible, the Grade 1 Florida Derby winner and third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, breezed three furlongs in 38.34 seconds Sunday morning over Belmont Park’s main track. It was his first work since the Derby.

“Looks good, gained some weight, filled out nicely, been moving well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We’re just off to a starting point. Take it week by week.”

Pletcher said that Audible has been at Belmont for about 2 1/2 weeks. He started back in training at WinStar Farm, where he was sent after it was determined he would not run in the Belmont Stakes in June. Audible, a New York-bred son of Into Mischief, is owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, and Starlight Racing, the same connections as Justify.

“I just didn’t feel like he recovered from the Derby in the way I had hoped,” Pletcher said. “He wasn’t doing as well as he was going into the Derby. We were hoping to make the Belmont. It didn’t happen.”

Pletcher said the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in late January 2019 is the target for Audible, who won the Grade 2 Holy Bull by five lengths and the Florida Derby by three last year over Gulfstream’s main track. The Stronach Group has not yet determined a date for the Pegasus and has yet to release the stakes schedule for the Championship meet, which usually opens the first week of December. Gulfstream has typically run the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes in mid-December as a prep for the Pegasus.

Pletcher said that whether Audible has one race or two before the Pegasus would be determined as the colt progresses in his training.

Instilled Regard, who finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby when trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, will make his first start for Brown in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx.

Brown got the horse in early summer and Instilled Regard has worked nine times leading up to his return.

“The horse continues to improve in his works,” Brown said. “I could see him getting fitter each week. His works have been getting stronger. We’re excited to get him into a race. He came to me in fine condition.”

Gronkowski on course for Gold Cup

Instilled Regard’s most recent workout came Saturday in company with Belmont Stakes runner-up Gronkowski.

The duo went five furlongs in 1:01.47 with a final quarter of 24.21 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.19.

Gronkowski, who finished eighth in the Travers, is pointing to the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Sept. 29.

“The horse is training very well,” Brown said, adding that the Travers “wasn’t his day, didn’t care for the track. Just draw line through it and hopefully he gives us a race like he did in the Belmont.”

There were 14 nominations to the Gold Cup. Among those considered definite to run are Diversify, Gronkowski, Mendelssohn, Thunder Snow, and Uno Mas Modelo. Discreet Lover, Sightforsoreeyes, Patch, and You’re to Blame are possible.

Army Mule continues working

Army Mule, the undefeated winner of the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct in April, worked four furlongs in 49.99 seconds Sunday morning over the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga.

It was Army Mule’s third work this month as the fragile but freakishly good colt tries to make it back for a race of significance in the fall. Trainer Todd Pletcher just isn’t sure yet what that race might be.

“We’re continuing to make headway, don’t have a specific race picked out,” Pletcher said. “We’re on a tight schedule to make the Breeders’ Cup. I guess our back-up plan would be something then the Cigar Mile.”

That something could be the Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park on Oct. 27.