Raise Cain eyes Blue Grass or Wood Memorial for next start
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Raise Cain, the 7 1/2-length winner of Saturday’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, was scheduled on Monday to ship by van back to his home base of Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., where he will train up to his next start, either in the Grade 1, $1 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland or the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. Both 1 1/8-mile races will run on April 8.
Ben Colebrook, the trainer of Raise Cain, said Sunday the decision would likely be made based on the degree of difficulty of both races.
“If I weren’t stabled at Keeneland, the Wood would be circled and it would be the race for sure,” Colebrook said Sunday morning by phone from Kentucky. “I think if one race is significantly easier, then we would take that route. If they are similar in competition, I think we’d probably stay home just because shipping can always complicate things. We’ll just have to see how everything plays out, but I guess that’s a good problem to have.”
Raise Cain created that problem by taking advantage of a swift pace and a terrific ride from Jose Lezcano to win the Gotham convincingly over a sealed, muddy track. Raise Cain, who earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance, also earned 50 qualifying points toward a potential start in the May 6 Kentucky Derby.
Though Raise Cain has yet to win beyond one mile, Colebrook believes the son of Violence can be effective going longer distances. Raise Cain is out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Lemon Belle, a half-sister to the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner Unrivaled Belle.
“I think his breeding is one thing and his temperament is the other,” Colebrook said. “He’s so laid back. What he’s going to need is pace. I think if we can get some pace to run into he’s a different horse and I think we saw that yesterday.”
In the Gotham, Raise Can was 5 1/2 lengths back off a 45.53-second half-mile, which was complicated by the presence of a riderless horse, Howgreatisnate, who worked his way toward the front after stumbling and unseating jockey J.D. Acosta at the break.
Lezcano did a terrific job of saving ground down the backstretch and around the turn, and despite having to steady at the quarter pole, he rallied Raise Cain four wide in the lane to get the victory.
Lezcano became available only when his scheduled Gotham mount, Arctic Arrogance, got sick and was forced to miss the Gotham.
Colebrook said Lezcano would have been his first choice of New York-based riders because he’s “a strong finisher.”
Colebrook said he would love to keep Lezcano on the horse regardless of where he runs Raise Cain, but understands Lezcano may have business in New York that would preclude him from riding in the Blue Grass. Some of that business could include Arctic Arrogance, who trainer Linda Rice said may shorten up for the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore Stakes going seven furlongs on the Wood undercard.
Colebrook gave Lezcano a leg up on Raise Cain, but before the race caught an Uber for nearby John F. Kennedy Airport. Colebrook watched the Gotham on his phone and caught his Cincinnati-bound flight and made it to Turfway Park in time to saddle Scoobie Quando to a runner-up finish in the John Battaglia Stakes Saturday night.
“Once I legged Jose up there was nothing more I could do, I figured I wanted to get there to saddle [Scoobie Quando] and watch him run,” Colebrook said. “It was going to work out, I figured why not?”
Colebrook said Scoobie Quando got shuffled back and closed a ton of ground in the Battaglia to finish a solid second. Colebrook said he would likely run Scoobie Quando back in the Grade 3, $750,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway on March 25.
Trainer Brad Cox will have some decisions to make regarding the Wood Memorial. Last month he won the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct with Hit Show, who has since shipped to Fair Grounds, where he has worked twice. Cox has previously mentioned Hit Show as likely to come back for the Wood, but said Sunday that other races, such as the Louisiana Derby, Arkansas Derby and Blue Grass are also in play.
In the Gotham, Cox finished second and fourth with Slip Mahoney and Eyeing Clover, respectively. Slip Mahoney showed a new dimension rallying from last under Trevor McCarthy in his first start against winners. Eyeing Clover was beaten nine lengths, but was the only horse who attended the pace that was anywhere close at the finish.
Cox said Slip Mahoney will be pointed to the Wood Memorial, while plans for Eyeing Clover are not yet defined. He said one option could be staying in New York and cutting back to seven furlongs in a race like the Bay Shore on the Wood undercard.
The New York-bred General Banker finished third in the Gotham as he did in the Jerome in January and Grade 3 Withers in February. He now has 24 Derby points - putting him 10th on the points list - and trainer Jimmy Ferraro said the horse will be pointed to the Wood and then possibly the Derby if he can get in.
“I’m not really dreaming about it, but you got to keep it in mind out of respect for the owner and the horse,” said Ferraro, who trains General Banker for owner John Forma. “I know how difficult it is. It would be a great experience.”
Trainer Juan Carlos Avila said Mr. Swagger, who finished sixth in the Gotham, would come back for the Wood Memorial. Avila said he thought jockey Carlos Olivero had the horse closer than he wanted early on in the race.
Little Vic possible for Carter
Little Vic, who earned a 102 Beyer for his 1 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap here, could return to New York for the Grade 1 Carter Handicap here on April 8, trainer Juan Carlos Avila said.
Avila, who is based at Parx Racing, said Little Vic came out of the race “perfect” and said the horse is getting “better and better.”
Little Vic had finished second in both the Gravesend and Toboggan here in December and January, respectively. Avila said he equipped Little Vic with a ring bit for the Tom Fool, which gave Carlos Olivero more control.
Trainer John Toscano Jr. said he wouldn’t rule out the Carter for Runninsonofagun depending on how tough a race it comes up. Among the others considering the Carter are White Abarrio, winner of a Gulfstream Park allowance Saturday, and Repo Rocks, who has won four straight including the Gravesend and Stymie, both at Aqueduct.
“I want to get a win under his belt, get his confidence back,” Toscano said. “I don’t want to keep him a bridesmaid.”
Runninsonofagun did earn a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, the same number he got for running second in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight last Nov. 26, his last start.
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