Time to Travel may make first start for Matz in Keeneland's Lexington

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Time to Travel, a very impressive maiden winner on last Saturday’s Florida Derby card, has been transferred to trainer Michael Matz’s barn and could make his next start in the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland on April 15.

Time to Travel, a Canadian-bred son of Hard Spun, led throughout under Hall of Fame rider Edgar Prado to register a 4 3/4-length victory against a strong field of maiden special weight rivals at Gulfstream Park, with his final time of 1:21.84 for seven furlongs over a very fast main track translating to an 88 Beyer Speed Figure.

Time to Travel had finished fourth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths, in his only other start four weeks earlier. He was trained up to his first two races at Payson Park by Rachel Halden.

“The horse is already at Keeneland, and I’ll see him for the first time this afternoon,” Matz said shortly before boarding a flight for Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday.

Time to Travel is a full brother to Hard Not to Like, who won Keeneland’s Grade 1 Jenny Wiley for Matz three years ago. Hard Not to Like was purchased at auction at Keeneland later that year and subsequently captured both the Grade 1 Gamely and Grade 1 Diana for trainer Christophe Clement in 2015. Both Hard Not to Like and Time to Travel were bred by owner Garland Williamson.

“From what I understand, Rachel is going back to Canada, and the owner wanted the horse to go to Keeneland and, if doing well, to run in a race like the Lexington next,” said Matz. “I know the family and saw this horse when he was a yearling. He was immature as a younger horse, which is why he didn’t start until earlier this winter. They just didn’t want to rush him.

“Obviously, Rachel did a great job with him to this point. I don’t think two turns would be a problem for him. In fact, I think Rachel was looking for a mile-and-one-sixteenth race for his second start, but it did not go, which is why he ran seven-eighths again on Saturday.”

Matz said Time to Travel is nominated to the Queen’s Plate and all the other appropriate races for Canadian-breds this season at Woodbine. The trainer still has 18 horses stabled at Palm Meadows, all of whom are scheduled to return to his summer home at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland within the next week or so.