Pain and Misery, Where's the Moon bring 1-2 punch in Charles Taylor Derby

Pain and Misery and Where’s the Moon should start as the top two choices in the $55,000 Charles Taylor Derby at the Downs at Albuquerque on Saturday after a run-in with Competitive Edge. Both faced the Grade 1 winner last out in the Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs, with Pain and Misery running a bold second to that one at 27-1, and Where’s the Moon encountering trouble when seventh, one start after his runner-up finish in the Sunland Derby.

The Charles Taylor, at a mile, could be a springboard to another out-of-state 3-year-old race for Pain and Misery and Where’s the Moon.

“If they do well, we could go to a race like the Ohio Derby,” said Henry Dominguez, who trains both horses. “It depends on how they perform in this race coming up.”

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KEY CONTENDERS

Pain and Misery (Last 3 Beyers: 93-69-77)

◗ He closed for second in the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile, a one-turn race May 2. For the effort, Pain and Misery earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 93.

“He ran an awesome race in the Pat Day,” said Dominguez. “He really showed up that day. He exceeded what we thought he would do. The horse is a real nice horse. He’s doing well. We expect him to perform well in the Charles Taylor.”

◗ Pain and Misery will be seeking to notch his first two-turn win Saturday.

“I don’t think that’s going to be any problem for him at all,” Dominguez said of two turns. “He’s by Bob and John. He’s bred to go that far. The Bob and Johns I’ve been around usually tend to be better later on, as they get older and once they start stretching out.”

◗ Alfredo Juarez Jr. has the mount from the rail, for owner Black Gold Racing.

Where’s the Moon (Last 3 Beyers: 71-73-80)

◗ He did not have clear sailing in the Pat Day, a race in which he broke from the rail and tracked quick fractions.

“Down there on the inside, he was laying too close to the pace, which he doesn’t like,” Dominguez said. “He got in a lot of traffic problems, got in a bumping match, was stuck down on the inside, and got stopped. We’re just going to write that race off.”

◗ Where’s the Moon won the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby in February at Sunland Park.

◗ Enrique Gomez has the mount for J. Kirk and Judy Robison.