Malibu Star's maiden victory bodes well for Breen stable

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Malibu Star’s maiden victory on Thursday at Aqueduct was good for trainer Kelly Breen on multiple counts.

First, the 3-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway won the one-mile race by a convincing 2 1/4 lengths and earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in his second start off a year layoff, portending good things to come. Second, when Malibu Star finished second in his previous start, he did so to the Breen-trained Full Impact, who came back to win his first-level allowance condition on Nov. 13.

Lastly, Citizen West, also trained by Breen, finished second to Malibu Star on Thursday, 11 1/4 lengths clear of the rest of the field, perhaps a sign that he won’t be a maiden too much longer.

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All three of those horses are owned by Gary and Mary West.

Breen, who has about 25 horses in New York this winter, said the near two months between starts for Malibu Star was because he couldn’t find a maiden race at the proper distance for the colt.

“It took a while for a race to go,” Breen said. “We were waiting to stretch the horse out, so the race finally went and he ran a pretty good race.”

Breen said he would eventually like to get Malibu Star out around two turns, perhaps in an allowance race.

“I think we’ll take our time,” he said. “I’ll talk to the Wests and see what we want to do, but right now we’re not in a rush. Let these horses develop.”

Full Impact, who is 2 for 2, breezed a half-mile in 48.49 seconds on Friday over the Belmont Park training track. Breen said he has not picked out a spot for that son of Street Sense.

“Just taking my time,” Breen said. “We got some nice horses and right now patience is a virtue. We’re trying to get these horses up to their potential by taking our time with them. They spent some time getting them ready, so we’ll take our time getting them to the winner’s circle.”

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Meanwhile, Breen said that Pickin’ Time, the Grade 3 Nashua winner who finished a well-beaten fourth in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes on Dec. 5, will be nominated to the Jerome here on New Year’s Day.

Breen said that jockey Jose Lezcano told him Pickin’ Time didn’t handle the wet track in the Remsen.

Breen said Lezcano told him, “Going into the first turn I was sitting second, but he wasn’t comfortable in the mud.”

Fire’s Finale, who won the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes for Breen at Parx on Monday, is getting some time off in Ocala, Fla., Breen said.