Grand Tito quick to get over Derby Day incident

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – One of the most bizarre and least-publicized incidents on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs took place in the paddock just prior to the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, when a sudden squall sent a sign careening into Grand Tito as the horses made their way around the walking ring.

Although uninjured, Grand Tito was scratched from the race after falling and generally being unnerved by the sudden turn of events.

Grand Tito is currently at Belmont Park along with five of his stablemates from the barn of trainer Gustavo Delgado, including Majesto, who finished 18th a short while later in the Kentucky Derby, and Paola Queen, ninth in the Kentucky Oaks.

“It definitely was a shame he couldn’t run in the Woodford,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., the trainer’s son and assistant, from the family’s main base of operations at Gulfstream Park West on Monday. “After the sign hit him, he flipped over backwards and struck the fence and got pretty shook up. He’s fine. He didn’t really have a scratch on him. But it was disappointing because we expected him to run well that day.”

Grand Tito was coming into the Turf Classic in top form, having stretched out around three turns for the first time to capture the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida and finished third in the Grade 2 Pan American during the final month of the Gulfstream Park championship meeting.

Grand Tito will run next in the Grade 1 Manhattan on the June 11 Belmont Stakes card, said the younger Delgado.

Delgado said that Majesto bled back at the barn after the Derby.

“Obviously, his performance was very disappointing considering how well he was doing coming into the Derby,” he said. “But he bled, and that’s an issue we’re going to have to work on. He’s back jogging now, going easy, and we have nothing definite picked out for him at the moment.”

Delgado said Paola Queen never ran her race in the Oaks after falling farther back than expected during the early running.

“She just doesn’t run as well when she’s behind horses and getting dirt kicked in her face as when she’s in front,” said Delgado, adding that Paola Queen likely would come back in the Grade 1 Acorn on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

The Delgados have six horses stabled at Belmont, with another six, including several promising 2-year-olds, scheduled to ship north there shortly. One horse not leaving south Florida just yet is Morea, a nicely bred 4-year-old filly by Indian Charlie who was an impressive maiden winner at Gulfstream on Sunday.

“She’s improving with every start, but we don’t want to rush her right now,” said Delgado. “She’s a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Weep No More, so obviously we have high hopes for her. There is a stakes race at Gulfstream on June 4 which we might look at next.”