Kentucky Derby runner Whitmore prepping for Oaklawn meet

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Earlier this year, Whitmore took the Arkansas path to the Kentucky Derby. On Saturday, Whitmore’s comeback trail to Hot Springs begins in New York.

Whitmore, who placed in a trio of 3-year-old graded stakes at Oaklawn Park, makes his first start since running 19th in the Kentucky Derby. He runs in a second-level allowance race going 6 1/2 furlongs at Aqueduct.

Trainer Ron Moquett said he wanted to get a start into Whitmore before the Oaklawn meet begins in January, and the race he was seeking at Churchill Downs failed to fill. Moquett sent three horses to run at Aqueduct over a three-day period, with Whitmore being the last of that trio.

Whitmore, a gelding by Pleasantly Perfect, is 2 for 7, with both of his wins coming in sprint races. He did finish second to Suddenbreakingnews in the Grade 3 Southwest, second to Cupid in the Grade 2 Rebel, and third behind Creator and Suddenbreakingnews in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby before the Kentucky Derby.

Moquett said Saturday’s race is simply a place to get started after a long layoff that was not related to any physical infirmity.

“I didn’t want to work him seven more times to get him ready to go a mile,” Moquett said.

Moquett is hoping to use this race as a stepping-stone to Oaklawn’s lucrative stakes program for older males, beginning with the $125,000 Fifth Season on Jan. 13, followed by the Grade 3, $500,000 Razorback Handicap on Feb. 20, and culminating with the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 15.

Manny Franco is named to ride Whitmore from the rail Saturday.

The seven-horse field includes the return to sprinting for Summer Revolution, who won his first two starts impressively going seven furlongs in the summer. In his third career start, he ran fourth in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop, won by Drefong, who came back to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Summer Revolution stretched out to 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby and finished ninth. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez said Summer Revolution displaced his palate in the race. Equipped with a tongue tie and a figure eight for his next start, Summer Revolution finished second to stablemate Voluntario at this same allowance condition going a mile Nov. 4.

“He trains like he wants to go all day, but maybe not,” Rodriguez said. “We need to regroup and put him where he runs best.”

Adding to the contentiousness of this field are Will Did It, a winner of 3 of his last 4 – all since being claimed by David Jacobson – and Market Sentiment, a winner of his last two starts by a combined 11 lengths.