Maraud's surge gives him American Turf triumph
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Some three hours before sending out four starters in the 144th Kentucky Derby, trainer Todd Pletcher again familiarized himself with a Saturday stroll to the Churchill Downs winner’s circle – albeit the non-infield variety – after Maraud's huge effort from off the pace to dominate the Grade 2, $300,000 American Turf on the Derby undercard.
Well-preserved early by John Velazquez over a grass course downgraded to yielding from day-long rain – it could even have been rated soft – Maraud launched a huge outside run to swamp the 13 other 3-year-olds in the 1 1/16-mile race. The bay son of Blame returned $18.80 after finishing in 1:47.52 and earning a 91 Beyer Speed Figure.
Closers took all of the top spots, as Captivating Moon and Untamed Domain also finished strongly when settling for a dead heat for second, 1 1/2 lengths behind Maraud. Arawak was fourth, another half-length back.
Speed Franco set the pace in the 27th American Turf, followed closely by Inscom. After straightening away, as those early leaders faltered, River Boyne loomed as the lukewarm 3-1 favorite, but then the quick burst by Maraud put the issue to rest while the others followed him belatedly.
“I didn’t think my horse liked the soft turf,” Velazquez said. “I took a chance, took him back, and tried to make one run with him. He showed me something and came through for me. The turf is very, very soft now after all the rain.”
Maraud, owned by the Treadway Racing Stable of Jeff Treadway, now has won four of seven career starts. The Kentucky-bred colt was a two-back winner of the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes over the Gulfstream Park turf in March prior to finishing fifth in his most recent start behind Analyze It in the April 6 Transylvania at Keeneland.
“At Keeneland he just didn’t seem to handle the course, wasn’t quite himself that day,” Pletcher said. “We were concerned about the weather today and I’m glad we decided to take a shot. We’ll probably take him back to New York and see what we have there. I’d love to make a race like the Belmont Derby,” Pletcher said. The Belmont Derby is a $1.2 million race on July 8 at Belmont Park.
The victory was the second in the American Turf for both Velazquez and Pletcher, albeit their first as a team. Velazquez won the 2001 running aboard Strategic Partner for Mark Hennig, while Pletcher won in 2010 with Doubles Partner, ridden by the late Garrett Gomez.
Pletcher, who found himself on the Churchill infield winner’s stand in 2017 after Velazquez rode Always Dreaming to win the Derby, was to be represented later Saturday in the Derby by Audible, Magnum Moon, Vino Rosso, and Noble Indy. Velazquez had the mount on Vino Rosso.
