McLaughlin remains in awe of Frosted's Met Mile performance
ELMONT, N.Y. - Oftentimes trainers are at a loss for words to explain why their horses ran poorly. Sunday morning, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin was still trying to explain how Frosted ran so well in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap.
Frosted, runner-up in last year’s Belmont Stakes, was otherworldly winning the prestigious Met Mile by 14 1/4 lengths. His margin of victory and his final running time of 1:32.73 were both stakes records in the 123rd running of the race. Frosted earned a 123 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance. It is believed to be the highest Beyer assigned since Midnight Lute earned a 124 winning the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga in 2007.
“I don’t know how he did it,” McLaughlin said Sunday morning.
McLaughlin deduced that perhaps Frosted benefited from having a lot of time between races. He won a race in Dubai off a 96-day freshening. Then, after running an okay fifth behind California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup back in 50 days, he won the Met Mile with 77 days between starts.
“The time might have been the key, and obviously Joel [Rosario] gets along really well with him but I don’t know, I wish I could pull it out of a hat,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin noted that while in Dubai Frosted had his same exercise rider that he had in the U.S. [Rob Massey] and Neal McLaughlin, Kiaran’s brother, oversaw the colt’s training.
“That’s a huge plus and maybe it’s the difference from three to four years old,” McLaughlin said. “It was just a ‘wow’ performance that almost makes you speechless.”
McLaughlin shipped Frosted back to Saratoga early Sunday morning.
McLaughlin’s year-end goal for Frosted is the Breeders’ Cup - most likely the Classic, but possibly the Dirt Mile - at Santa Anita in early November. Frosted’s schedule between now and then is still to be determined. Races like the $1.25 million Whitney on Aug. 6 and/or the $600,000 Woodward on Sept. 3 - both Grade 1 races at 1 1/8 miles - will be considered.
McLaughlin said he would most likely give Cavorting, winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes, an opportunity to try two turns in her next start. If so, the race of choice would be the Grade 1, $750,000 Personal Ensign at Saratoga on Aug. 27.
Cavorting won the Phipps by 2 1/2 lengths over a trouble-trip Forever Unbridled. Cavorting covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.14. She earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I think the key is getting her to relax,” McLaughlin said.
Kareena, who won Friday’s Jersey Girl Stakes, will be pointed to the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga on Aug. 6.
Meanwhile, McLaughlin said Mohaymen, the Fountain of Youth winner who finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby, should return to the work tab in two to three weeks as he targets the Jim Dandy on July 30.