Peter Pan is Plan B for Adventist

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – If he doesn’t get into the Kentucky Derby, Adventist likely will make his next start in the Grade 2, $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park on May 14, trainer Leah Gyarmati said Sunday.

The results of Saturday’s Arkansas Derby – won by Creator – dropped Adventist from 20th to 23rd on the points list established by Churchill Downs to determine the field for the Derby in the likely event that the race draws more than the maximum of 20 starters.

Adventist has 32 qualifying points based on third-place finishes in the Withers, Gotham, and Wood Memorial. Though he is one of four horses with 32 points, Adventist is ranked below Mo Tom and Fellowship based on non-restricted stakes earnings. He is ranked ahead of the maiden Laoban.

The rules allow for up to four also-eligibles for the Kentucky Derby, and Gyarmati said Monday that a final decision on whether to enter as an also-eligible hadn’t been made yet by her and owner Jeff Treadway.

Gyarmati seemed to prefer the Peter Pan to running Adventist in the May 21 Preakness.

“The best move would be to stay here,” Gyarmati said. “There are such nice races coming up. You got all spring and summer. Why ship when we can run in some great races here?”

If Adventist does run in the Peter Pan, among the horses he likely will face is Unified, the Grade 3 Bay Shore winner. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said Sunday that the Peter Pan is preferable to the Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard for Unified.

“Instead of going all the way to Churchill and running in that race, I just figured it’s around one turn, even though it’s a mile and an eighth,” Jerkens said. “He kept running the other day, and he wasn’t exactly walking the first part. He’s by Candy Ride; he’s bred for it. I think that’s what we’re going to do.”