Underachieving My Boy Jack may return to turf

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Hopes were sky-high for My Boy Jack leading into the 2018 Kentucky Derby. After all, the late-running colt was coming off a victory in the Lexington Stakes, and was sent away the 6-1 second choice in the Derby behind the eventual winner and Triple Crown champion, Justify. He was never a serious factor but did close well to finish fifth.

Since then, however, My Boy Jack has beat a steady fade into obscurity – despite the best efforts of California-based trainer Keith Desormeaux. Following the Derby, the Creative Cause colt ran once more as a 3-year-old, finishing a distant eighth in the Belmont Derby on turf in July. Given the rest of the year off, he was sent to Churchill in late April with assistant Julie Clark and has raced twice here in allowance company, finishing fourth on May 4 and a dismal ninth on May 24.

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Asked for his thoughts, Desormeaux said: “They’re confused ones. I guess we might try him back on the turf again.”

My Boy Jack, owned by Don’t Tell My Wife Stables and Monomoy Stables, has not breezed since his last start.

Meanwhile, Kukulkan, the Mexican star who ran his career record to 15 for 16 in winning that May 24 allowance, will bypass the June 15 Stephen Foster and instead is likely for the Schaefer Memorial on the July 13 Indiana Derby undercard, said Ignacio Correas, who is overseeing the colt at Keeneland.