The Puma breezes easy half-mile for Pennsylvania Derby
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Puma returned to the work tab for the first time since his fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Travers on Friday morning at Saratoga, breezing a very easy four furlongs in 51.63 seconds with regular rider Javier Castellano aboard. After the drill, his connections confirmed their intention to run him back next Saturday at Parx Racing in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby.
The Puma was defeated just 3 1/4 lengths in the Travers, despite a wide trip. He registered a Beyer Speed Figure of 99 for his effort, just one point lower than his career-best number earned when beaten a nose by Commandment during the spring at Gulfstream Park in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. The Puma went into that race just three weeks after capturing the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby and will be coming back on only three weeks’ rest once again in the Pennsylvania Derby.
“It was exactly what we wanted this morning, total maintenance, the final time didn’t matter at all,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., son of trainer Gustavo Delgado and the principal owner of Ogma Investments. “Javier said he felt like he had a ton of horse. The horse has been doing very well since the Travers, and if he continues that way coming out of this work we will run him in the Pennsylvania Derby.”
The younger Delgado said bringing The Puma back on relatively short rest is not a concern.
“It’s not like he hasn’t done this before. He ran his best race to date coming back in three weeks for the Florida Derby,” he said. “We were very proud of his effort in the Travers. He only got beat three lengths, even though the pace didn’t help much, the leaders never came back to him, and he had no other choice but to go wide. Obviously, this is a Grade 1 with a $1 million purse, it won’t be easy, but we feel he definitely belongs in the race.”
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