With two seconds and a 3rd within the Kentucky Derby (G1) since 2018, coach Chad Brown has excessive requirements for his prime 3-year-olds.
“We’re slightly lighter this 12 months with 3-year-olds,” Brown mentioned Jan. 15. “Now that I’ve come very shut within the Derby with horses like Sierra Leone (second by a nostril final 12 months) and Good Magic (second in 2018) the bar is excessive when it comes to my expertise of what it takes if you happen to intend to win the race. Then once more, the most effective horse would not at all times win.”
Brown remains to be hopeful that his greatest 2-year-old can be his premier Triple Crown candidate.
Twin grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick , who was sixth because the 2-1 second selection within the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), is not on time after minor ankle surgical procedure, however Brown believes the March 8 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and April 5 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland are practical targets.
The Tampa Bay Derby gives Kentucky Derby qualifying factors on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale to the highest 5 finishers whereas the Blue Grass is value 100-50-25-15-10 factors. Flanagan Racing’s Chancer McPatrick already has 10 factors for profitable the 2024 Champagne Stakes (G1).Join BloodHorse Day by day
“I need to try to make the Tampa Bay Derby after which the Blue Grass, simply because it is handy and shut and I’m making an attempt to make up floor with him,” mentioned Brown who can be prepping the son of McKinzie  for his 3-year-old marketing campaign at Payson Park in Florida. “The Tampa Bay Derby could possibly be conditioning race for him.”
Winner of final 12 months’s Hopeful Stakes (G1), Chancer McPatrick has received three of 4 begins for earnings of $535,000. Bred by Rigney Racing out of the Bernardini mare Bernadreamy , he was purchased for $725,000 from the Caliente Thoroughbreds consignment on the Ocala Breeders’ Gross sales Spring Sale of 2-12 months-Olds in Coaching.
Brown mentioned Three Chimneys Farm’s homebred Aviator Gui , runner-up within the Remsen Stakes (G2), had a slight setback and could possibly be pointed towards the Feb. 15 Risen Star Stakes (G2) for his 3-year-old debut.  The Risen Star, received final 12 months by Sierra Leone , at Truthful Grounds Race Course & Slots is the primary of seven 50-25-15-10-5 preps for the Might 3 opening leg of the Triple Crown.
With the son of Uncle Mo out of the image for the Feb. 1 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack, Brown mentioned Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith’s Treaty of Rome (Uncle Mo), second within the Jan. 4 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and Jan. 3 New York maiden winner Uncle Hulka (Uncle Mo) are potentialities for the 1 1/8-mile take a look at.
The Withers is a 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby factors race.
“Hopefully we are able to get them on the path and begin selecting up some factors,” Brown mentioned.
