Society Man gets new owners ahead of Kentucky Derby

Society Man will have some new owners when he runs in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Danny Gargan said Thursday.

Dean and Patti Reeves, who own Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, and Carl and Yurie Pascarella have bought part interest in the gelding who finished second at 106-1 in last Saturday’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. The horse will run in the Reeves’s dark green, white, and gold silks in the Derby, Gargan said.

Gargan, who did own part of the horse, said he sold his interests and Anthony Melfi’s GMP Racing sold part of his interest in the gelded son of Good Magic. West Paces Racing still retains its share of Society Man.

:: DRF Kentucky Derby Package: Save on PPs, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, and more.

The Reeves’s are longtime clients of Gargan. Carl Pascarella, the former CEO of Visa, and his wife Yurie, owned a piece of Animal Kingdom, the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner campaigned by Team Valor Racing and trained by Graham Motion.

Society Man is just 1 for 5 but is coming off his two best performances. On March 9, he won a one-mile maiden race at Aqueduct before finishing second, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Resilience, in the Wood.

While Society Man may have new owners, he does not yet have a confirmed rider for the 150th Kentucky Derby. Luis Rivera Jr. rode him in his last two starts and is still in the mix to ride him in the Derby.

Society Man arrived at Churchill Downs on Wednesday and joined Gargan’s other Derby starter, Dornoch, the Grade 2 Remsen and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth winner, who finished fourth in the Blue Grass.

“Both horses went to the track [Thursday], looked great on the track, we’re going to have fun,” Gargan said. “If one of them jumps up and wins, it’s going to be a whole lot of fun.”

Dornoch will be ridden in the Derby by his regular rider Luis Saez.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.