Shadwell Stable's Shagaf (Bernardini) came out of his win in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. in fine shape and will now be aimed at the Apr. 9 GI Wood Memorial.
“He looks great this morning, he ate up well,” trainer Chad Brown reported Sunday. “He looks sound, very happy.”
In addition to his 50 Kentucky Derby points, which virtually guarantee the unbeaten colt a spot in the Derby starting gate May 7, Brown thinks Shagaf gained plenty of experience from his come-from-behind win in the Gotham.
“He took plenty of dirt in the race, which will hopefully serve him well down the road,” Brown commented. “I think he gained a lot of experience, it was only his third start and this horse has done everything we asked him to do. I don't think he could've run any better in any of the three races for what we want him to do. I'm very happy with the result and I'm happy with the education he got.”
Brown continued, “We've got a ways to go, but he's at least cleared one hurdle. He's emerged from the race all right and he'll stay here and train. This is his home base, he likes it here.”
The Wood could also be the next destination for the Brown-trained Flexibility (Bluegrass Cat). Second behind Mohaymen (Tapit) in both last year's GII Nashua S. and GII Remsen S., the Klaravich Stable and William Lawrence colorbearer won the Jan. 2 GIII Jerome S. before finishing fourth in the Jan. 30 GIII Withers S. He worked a half-mile over Belmont's training track Sunday in :48.75.
“Flexibility went really well,” Brown said of the Sunday morning move. “We're giving him a little breather between starts, which we had always planned to do after the Withers. A lot of the decision about [his next race] will be made based on how [Klaravich and Lawrence's] Economic Model runs [in the Mar. 12 GII Tampa Bay Derby], because right now, tentatively, Economic Model could end up in the GI Blue Grass S., so Flexibility is still a possibility for the Wood as well. All races are still in play.”
Brown also provided an update on multiple Grade I winner Lady Eli (Divine Park), who continues to progress after suffering a bout of laminitis.
“She's doing very well,” Brown said of Lady Eli. “She's going to have her second breeze tomorrow morning, so I'm heading down to Florida tonight. Her first breeze was terrific, just what we wanted, and she came out of it good. She's been training super.”
The unbeaten Lady Eli, off since winning last year's July 4 GI Belmont Oaks, worked three furlongs at Palm Meadows Feb. 29 in :38.90.
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