Stronghold will be rested, kept at middle distances

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stronghold is unlikely to race at 1 1/4 miles in the foreseeable future after finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said Sunday that Stronghold will resume racing this summer. A race goal has not been selected.

“We’ll freshen him up a little bit,” D’Amato said.

“He came out of the race 100 percent. I think he’s got lots of opportunities. He needs his distance, maybe a mile and a sixteenth or a mile and an eighth.”

In the Kentucky Derby, Stronghold (35-1) stalked the early pace, was briefly within a length of the lead, but faded in the stretch to finish 12 3/4 lengths behind Mystik Dan.

“He hung with them and he got a little tired,” D’Amato said. “The last eighth of a mile hit him.”

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