Lovell stays local with Doncho, skips Woody Stephens

No doubt, $500,000 is a lot more money than $141,000, but sometimes the single carrot dangling right in front of one’s face obscures the bountiful harvest that could come from a more patient and prudent approach.

So it is that the 3-year-old gelding Doncho has landed in the featured eighth race Wednesday at Churchill Downs, an open 3-year-old allowance carded for 6 1/2 furlongs. An allowance purse of $141,000 not that long ago would have seemed preposterous, but that’s the space Kentucky racing occupies these days. And the chance to run Doncho out of his own stall at a distance a half-furlong shorter than the seven-furlong, $500,000 Woody Stephens at Saratoga led Doncho’s connections to pass on a potential trip to New York.

“He’s still just a 3-year-old, a baby,” said Michelle Lovell, who trains Doncho for Jose Lopez’s JAL Racing. “He’s a gelding. We want him around a long time.”

Doncho just traveled to New York last month, contesting a swift pace in the $150,000 Gold Fever Stakes. After racing through his first half-mile in 44.86 seconds, Doncho launched himself through a fifth furlong in a field-best 12.02 to take control of the race. His pace rival, Buccherino, went in 12.69, and Doncho’s ability to sustain his great speed makes him a high-level talent.

“That was our plan, to go to the Woody Stephens, but when this race came available, it just made sense to stay here and stretch him a little instead of going the seven” furlongs, Lovell said.

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Doncho’s capability beyond six furlongs remains uncertain. He began his career this winter at Fair Grounds with a pair of six-furlong fireballs, easily winning a maiden and first-level allowance with a Beyer Speed Figure of 94. The Gold Fever, which yielded a 96, also was run over six furlongs, and Doncho’s lone defeat, a fading fourth, came in the seven-furlong Lafayette in April at Keeneland.

That’s not to say Doncho, a son of Mo Town, can’t get the seven. In the Lafayette, he was held behind the leader, eventual winner Glengarry, and pace-chasers like Doncho were coming up empty over and over in Keeneland dirt races.

“We probably overthought it a little. Should have let him run his race instead of taking it away from him,” Lovell said.

Cristian Torres rode Doncho at Keeneland, but Jaime Torres has been aboard for his three wins and has the mount Wednesday.

Doncho is one of seven in the Wednesday feature, where the morning line has Beeline an improbable 2-1 favorite over 5-2 Doncho. Beeline never has run as fast as Doncho, and he, too, suffered his first defeat when racing for the first time beyond six furlongs. Beeline stalked the pace from the inside in the Pat Day Mile last month, flattening out late to finish seventh with no apparent excuse. His pair of six-furlong victories in Florida were good, but they lacked the sheer brilliance of Doncho’s wins.

Both horses have speed. Doncho is drawn in post 2, one stall inside Beeline, and four other entrants have in the past been forward factors. Henro is the lone proven closer, but Doncho already has shown he can run very fast and keep on going.

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