Ohio Derby looking like next stop for Global Campaign

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – When Sir Winston rallied to win the Belmont Stakes last Saturday, the form of Global Campaign suddenly looked even better than it already was.

It was on May 11 in the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan at Belmont Park that Sir Winston finished second by 1 1/4 lengths behind Global Campaign, a Curlin colt who has won three of four starts for Sagamore Farm and WinStar Farm. The results of the 1 1/2-mile Belmont clearly flatter Global Campaign, although trainer Stan Hough is not sure when the colt will be fully prepared to take on the elite of the 3-year-old division.

“All along, we’ve fought a foot problem with him,” Hough said this week at his Churchill Downs barn. “It came from the Fountain of Youth,” a March 2 race in which Global Campaign incurred a hoof injury, leading to his only defeat. “The repercussions have been a quarter crack before the Peter Pan, and then he shed his frog afterward. He missed 9 or 10 days of training after the Peter Pan because the foot was so tender.”

Before and after the Peter Pan, Hough had to proceed very carefully with Global Campaign because of the ongoing foot issue. Hough is tentatively pointing to the $500,000 Ohio Derby next Saturday (June 22) at Thistledown, pending a breeze this weekend at Churchill.

“He’s training forwardly,” said Hough. “We’ll take the shoe off after he works, and hopefully the foot has grown where we can go without” protective shoeing, which has been in place in recent weeks. “If we can’t make the Ohio Derby, we’d probably look at going to New York for the Dwyer” on July 6 at Belmont.

Among the other Churchill-based 3-year-olds pointing to the Ohio Derby is Long Range Toddy, who will be making his first start since being placed 16th in the Kentucky Derby.