Money Moves cuts back, drops from Derby to overnight ranks

ELMONT, N.Y. – After swinging and missing in the Kentucky Derby, the connections of Money Moves have found a more suitable spot for the 3-year-old’s next start in Friday’s second-level allowance feature going a mile at Belmont Park.

After winning his first two starts in the winter at Gulfstream Park, Money Moves got sick and missed a significant amount of time. He finished second, beaten a neck by Prioritize, in this condition going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga off a four-month layoff. His connections opted to take a shot in the Kentucky Derby, where Money Moves finished 13th of 15.

“One of my concerns was how [little] seasoning he had for a race like that,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He never really got into a comfortable position. He got jostled around pretty hard going into the first turn like you see a lot of times in the Derby and was never able to get into a comfortable rhythm.”

In addition to dropping in class, Money Moves is cutting back in distance to a one-turn mile. In Florida, he twice won around one turn, including a first-level allowance going a mile at Gulfstream.

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Pletcher said depending how Friday’s race goes, Money Moves could be considered for the Grade 3, $100,000 Discovery on Nov. 28 at Aqueduct or the Grade 3, $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday on Dec. 12 at Gulfstream, that track’s stepping-stone to its $3 million Pegasus in late January.

Money Moves is not the only 3-year-old in this field trying to get back on track. Americanus, a son of War Front, makes his first start since April and first for trainer Shug McGaughey in this spot. Previously trained by Mark Hennig, Americanus was a debut winner here in September 2019 before running eighth of nine in the Grade 3 Nashua at Aqueduct.

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He ran three times during the winter at Gulfstream, winning a first-level allowance going seven furlongs in his second start of the year before running third to the Pletcher-trained Dr Post in the Unbridled Stakes on April 25. He was out of training for several months before returning to the work tab in August at Fair Hill, a training center in Maryland.

Recently, McGaughey alternated his breezes on turf and dirt and believes turf is in Americanus’s future at some point.

“He ran good on dirt for Mark,” McGaughey said. “If he runs good I’ve got options, if he doesn’t we’ll go to the turf. He’s worked good on both. He’s a funny horse for me to get a line on because he’s very laid back, but I do like him.”

Three Technique, another 3-year-old, is 0 for 5 this year, but three of those races came in stakes. He returns to dirt after making his previous two starts on turf.

Dark Storm, away from the races since he won an allowance at Aqueduct last December, has been training with a purpose for George Weaver, who entered this week with five wins from his last 10 starters at the meet. Expert and Grumps Little Tots complete the field.