Target 'Pen'-Ciled in for Private Purchase

Beach Patrol | Benoit

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Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid–Bashful Bertie, by Quiet American)–a painful second, beaten only a head, in the GII American Turf S. (video) on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard–has been acquired privately by the tandem of James Covello, Head of Plains Partners and Sheep Pond Partners.

This weekend's grassy GIII Penn Mile S., carrying a purse of $500,000 at Penn National, could be in the cards for the promising dark bay, who has recently been transferred to the care of trainer Chad Brown.

“The plan is to run him in the Penn Mile, but since he is new to the barn, Chad [Brown] will want to see how he trains this week before we make a final decision,” Covello revealed. “By all accounts, the horse is doing great, but anytime a horse is new to the barn, we want to wait to get as much info as we can before we send him over there.”

The $250,000 KEENOV weanling (catalog page) was formerly campaigned by trainer Phil D'Amato on behalf of owners Gary and Mary West. Winless in a pair of attempts late last season for Wayne Catalano, Beach Patrol was sensational in a pair of grass wins for D'Amato at Santa Anita earlier this term, including a 'TDN Rising Star' performance in front-running fashion in an $80,000 optional tagger Apr. 3. Bred in Kentucky by Nancy C. Shuford, the sophomore was produced by an unplaced full-sister to Allamerican Bertie (Quiet American) and a half-sister to Hurricane Bertie (Storm Boot), both MGSW and GISP. What did Covello like to pull the trigger on the private purchase?

“In terms of the appeal for the purchase, that is simple,” he replied. “He's very fast. He is fast on the Thorograph and he's fast on the Beyers. He's already run several numbers on the Thorograph that make him very competitive in races like the Penn Mile and the [GI] Belmont Derby [July 9], should we be fortunate enough to get an invite.”

He continued, “With all of the big summer turf races for 3-year-olds coming up, it was very exciting to be able to purchase such a fast, sound, horse who looks like he has the potential to continue to stretch out based on his pedigree and how he trains. On top of all of that, Chad [Brown] liked the horse very much and Nick Sallusto, who put the deal together for us, liked the horse very much, so everything came together on this one.”

Covello, an equity research analyst for Goldman Sachs, also grabbed some headlines earlier this month when securing one of the highly coveted 12 spots in the starting gate for inaugural $12-million GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 28. He has campaigned the likes of Testa Rossi (Fr) (Dr Fong), a two-time Grade III winner and runner-up in the 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf; 2011 GI Ashland S. heroine Lilacs and Lace (Flower Alley); and currently owns a piece of the unbeaten comebacking 2015 GIII Withers. S. hero Far From Over (Blame).

Covello has joined forces with Sol Kumin on both Beach Patrol and the lucrative Pegasus World Cup venture. Kumin has enjoyed a well-documented string of recent success racing under Head of Plains Partners and Sheep Pond Partners, including GI Preakness S. hero Exaggerator (Curlin) and unbeaten superstar Lady Eli (Divine Park).

“Sol is a good friend of mine and a fabulous guy,” Covello offered. “He has obviously enjoyed tremendous success in the game and I am hopeful that we can continue that success together with both Beach Patrol and the Pegasus slot.”

Covello concluded, “I think what Mr. [Frank] Stronach and Jack Wolf and the team have done with this race is incredibly creative and innovative and I am excited to be a part of it. This kind of innovation is exactly what horse racing needs and when the opportunity arose, Sol and I were anxious to participate. We are keeping a very open mind as to whether we buy or lease a horse to run in the race or we partner with someone else on the slot who wants to run their horse. There are a lot of options on the table and that's one of the things that makes the opportunity so exciting.”

For a recent TDN profile on Covello, click here.

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