LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Derby winner Mage is headed to Baltimore. His owners made it official Friday morning at Churchill Downs.
Chase Chamberlin of Commonwealth Racing and Ramiro Restrepo said that the lightly-raced colt looked good in a morning work at Churchill Downs and will pursue the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown.
"We're very excited," Restrepo told Jennie Rees of Kentucky HBPA. "He's had a magnificent week of training. (Trainer) Gustavo (Delgado) is over the moon at how he's come back. He's showing all the positive signs. So it's on to Baltimore and crab cakes. Here we come!"
Mage again will benefit from the misfortune of his chief rival. Forte, the 2-year-old champion who beat Mage his in his 2 starts prior to the Kentucky Derby, is under a 14-day non-compete window as a result of a veterinary scratch from the Kentucky Derby, and will be ineligible to run in the Preakness.
It's official: #KyDerby winner @MageHorse will go to @PreaknessStakes @PimlicoRC. we just got word from owners @joincmnwlth's @ChaseChamberlin & @RamiroRestrepo at @ChurchillDowns. @ScottWykoffWBAL @espn680 @espnVshow @PaulMiles840 @NBCSports @tjwilkin @TVG @HorseRacingKK pic.twitter.com/CqSMIycT8V
— KyHBPA (@KyHBPA) May 12, 2023
His trainer, Todd Pletcher, has indicated that Forte's next race likely will be the Travers, skipping the Triple Crown trail altogether.
The colt was disqualified from a November stakes win for a positive drug test, and Pletcher suspended 10 days and fined $1,000. Pletcher denies the charge and will appeal. Mike Repole, who owns the colt, has threatened legal action.
The top challengers to Mage in the Preakness figure to be Brad Cox's First Mission and Chad Brown's Blazing Sevens, sired by the same stallion as Mage (Good Magic), who skipped the Derby. Bob Baffert also is expected to enter National Treasure. A victory in the race for Baffert would be his record eighth Preakness win.
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