Late run propels Haikal to Gotham victory

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has run a horse in the Kentucky Derby in three of the last four years. If he was going to be represented in this year’s Run for the Roses, he needed Haikal to step up in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes.

“We were only able to nominate one horse to the Derby, and that’s him,” McLaughlin said.

Haikal may have punched his ticket to the Kentucky Derby with a furious late stretch run that carried him from last down the backside and past a trio of horses in the last sixteenth of a mile to a one-length victory in the Gotham at Aqueduct. Mind Control fought off favored Instagrand to get second by a half-length. It was a nose back to the pace-setting Much Better.

Family Biz, who was at the back of the pack with Haikal early, finished fifth followed by Tikhvin Flew, Knicks Go, and Not That Brady.

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The win was the third straight for Haikal, a son of Daaher owned by Shadwell Stable. It earned him 50 qualifying points to the May 4 Kentucky Derby under the system Churchill Downs uses to determine the field.

The Gotham is only a one-turn mile race and represents the farthest distance Haikal has run to date. He will most likely get a chance to stretch out to 1 1/8 miles in the $750,000 Wood Memorial here on April 6.

The Gotham does not have a long history of producing Kentucky Derby winners. Secretariat, in 1973, is the last Gotham winner to win the Kentucky Derby. Each of the past 12 Gotham winners has been entered in the Kentucky Derby – two were scratched before the race – with Samraat’s fifth-place finish in 2014 the highest finish over that time.

“He looks like he’s getting better the further he goes,” said McLaughlin, who watched the Gotham from Florida.

Rajiv Maragh, the rider of Haikal, said “he gives me all indications like a horse that wants to go further . . . I’m excited for the longer distances.”

Saturday, Haikal took advantage of a hot early pace and a track that was kind to closers over the last five races on the card.

Under Maragh, Haikal was right alongside Family Biz in the back of the pack, 13 1/2 lengths off the pace, after a half-mile was run in 44.42 seconds. Much Better, with Mike Smith riding for Bob Baffert, had opened up a 3 1/2-length lead at that point.

Instagrand, who was making his first start since last August off two blowout, front-running sprint victories, was third early, 4 1/2 lengths off the pace.

Javier Castellano advanced Instagrand into second around the far turn while John Velazquez had Mind Control in third and moving up along the inside.

In midstretch, Mind Control came through on the inside of Much Better while Instagrand was coming on the outside of that horse. Haikal made an inside move into contention. He was still five lengths back at the eighth pole but kicked it into high gear in the final furlong to get the victory.

Haikal covered the mile in 1:35.63 and returned $10.80 as the 4-1 second choice.

Maragh said he wanted to ride Haikal like he rode Caleb’s Posse, a horse with a similar late turn of foot who was a Grade 1 winner around one turn.

“That’s the kind of horse he reminds me of, he has the quality and he’s always going to give it to you, so you just have to be patient,” Maragh. said. “I’ve ridden this horse three times and all three times he’s been impressive with that closing kick. It makes my job easier. I can depend on him being there for me.”

Mind Control, coming off his victory in the Jerome Stakes on New Year’s Day, put in a solid effort. Trainer Gregg Sacco said John Velazquez told him Mind Control never saw Haikal flying on the outside.

“Johnny said different story if we had been next to him,” Sacco said. “He had horse. Tough beat in a great race. Hat’s off to the winner.”

Mind Control could run back in the Wood Memorial. As he is a Grade 1 winner, the purse of the race would elevate to $1 million from $750,000 if he does.

Instagrand suffered his first defeat after two victories by a combined 20 1/4 lengths. But he was making his first start in 210 days and first at a mile. He was behind horses for the first time, and Castellano said he handled that well.

“I like the way he rated behind horses,” Castellano said. “He doesn’t have to be on the lead; now we can play both games. He can be right behind the horses. It’s huge progress. I got beat, but I’m satisfied the way he did it today.”

Instagrand is expected to be flown back to Southern California on Tuesday and plans for his next start will be determined after discussions between trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and owner Larry Best.