Pletcher Exacta in Tampa Bay Derby

Destin | A Coglianese

Twin Creek Racing's Destin, who earned a spot on the Triple Crown trail with a 2 1/4-length victory in the Feb. 13 GIII Sam F. Davis S., proved that win was no fluke with a one-length victory in Saturday's GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. Sent off at 7-2, Destin chased pacesetting Outwork while three wide behind fractions of :24.04 and :47.88. He moved to challenge the pacesetter nearing the lane and had a slim advantage in upper stretch, but Outwork battled back bravely only to have Destin find another gear in the dying strides to win going away.

“I was very, very pleased with his performance,” Todd Pletcher, trainer of the top two, said of the winner. “He seems to be getting more and more professional and is learning how to finish his races. I felt he would improve with more experience and that is proving to be true. After his first two races, he was still piecing things together, but he has gotten better with experience. We will assess him, but probably would not come back in the GI Florida Derby, which leaves the [Apr. 9 GI] Wood Memorial, [Apr. 9 GI] Blue Grass or [Apr. 16 GI] Arkansas Derby as possibilities.

Twin Creek's Randy Gullatt said he thought Destin had improved since winning the Davis.

“He has come a long ways and I think he is ahead of even where we thought he would be,” Gullatt said. “He's making big jumps, and we're very happy. Obviously, this race gives you the option of [another prep] because of the timing. He ran super last time, but I think he was even more into the bit today and just took Javier [Castellano] right where he wanted. I'm elated. I think he ran even better than I was hoping he would.”

Repole Stable's Outwork, unbeaten in two previous outings and making his stakes debut Saturday, acquited himself well in his first start beyond six furlongs.

“For Outwork to put forth that type of performance in only his third start is quite impressive,” Pletcher said. “We were hoping he would move forward, and he certainly ran well enough to put himself in the next round of preps, where hopefully he will move forward again.”

Favored Brody's Cause (Giant's Causeway), making his first start since finishing third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile last October, trailed the field through much of the contest and made only mild progress down the lane to check in seventh.

Destin, a $400,000 Keeneland September yearling, was a debut winner at Belmont last October. Second in a Gulfstream optional claimer Dec. 18, he was a creditable fourth in his two-turn debut in the Jan. 16 LeComte S. at Fair Grounds. He powered clear to best Rafting by 2 1/4 lengths while earning his first graded victory in the Davis.

A son of Grade I winner Dream of Summer, Destin is a full-brother to 2011 GI Norfolk S. and 2012 GI Preakness S. Third-place finisher Creative Cause. His full-sister sold for $150,000 at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The mare's colt by Graydar brought $135,000 as a weanling at last year's Keeneland November sale. She was bred back to Giant's Causeway last spring.

 

Saturday, Tampa Bay Derby
LAMBHOLM SOUTH TAMPA BAY DERBY-GII, $350,000, TAM, 3-12, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.82, ft.
1–DESTIN, 120, c, 3, by Giant's Causeway
1st Dam: Dream of Summer (GISW, $1,191,150),
by Siberian Summer
2nd Dam: Mary's Dream, by Skywalker
3rd Dam: Proper Mary, by Properantes
($400,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC;
B-James C. Weigel & Taylor Made Stallions Inc. (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher; J-Javier Castellano. $210,000. Lifetime Record:
5-3-1-0, $390,700. *Full to Creative Cause, GISW, $1,039,000.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A++.[bullet ad=”taylor-made-twin-creeks”][bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”][bullet ad=”bridlewood-farm-training-graduate”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Outwork, 116, c, 3, Uncle Mo–Nonna Mia, by Empire Maker.
O/B-Repole Stable (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $70,000.[bullet ad=”crupi-trained”]3–Star Hill, 116, c, 3, Elusive Quality–Padmore, by French
Deputy. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II.
$35,000.[bullet ad=”stonestreet-trainingalum”]Margins: 1, 7, 2 1/4. Odds: 3.60, 4.30, 14.80.
Also Ran: Rafting, Tale of S'avall, Riker, Brody's Cause, Awesome Banner, Economic Model. Scratched: Morning Fire.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

 

 

 

Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.

Copy Article Link

X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.