Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Cox, Dutrow send out winners

Kentucky Derby (G1)-winning trainers Brad Cox and Rick Dutrow both saddled winning juveniles last week. Will these fresh maiden winners join the 2024-25 Road to the Kentucky Derby?

That’s a good question. Based on final times, the two colts aren’t yet Kentucky Derby-caliber. But there are reasons to believe they have upside for improvement through the fall and winter.

Dutrow’s win came courtesy of Ican, a son of Woodward (G1) winner Preservationist. The chestnut colt showed little when debuting in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, finishing ninth. But he found the competition more suitable in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Horseshoe Indianapolis last Tuesday, sticking close to a :23.27 opening quarter-mile before seizing command down the homestretch to dominate by 6 1/2 lengths.

Ican’s winning time of :59.85 was on the slow side, but he finished up nicely, running his final furlong in :12.33. Preservationist won over the Kentucky Derby’s 1 1/4-mile distance when taking the Suburban (G2) by 4 1/2 lengths, and stretching out in distance may help Ican improve.

Cox’s turn to saddle a juvenile winner came on Thursday at Keeneland. The winning horse was Uncle Jim, a $240,000 yearling acquisition. The son of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner City of Light debuted in a maiden special weight sprinting about seven furlongs and charged from eighth place (about four lengths behind splits of :22.46 and :45.71) to score by three lengths in 1:28.92.

A decelerating pace helped Uncle Jim catch the leaders, but he was pulling away nicely at the end and has the pedigree to stretch out in distance, so there’s long-term potential for this Robert V. LaPenta and Madaket Stables representative.

Also at Keeneland, Tapirs Valor made a winning return on Friday in a six-furlong maiden special weight for horses who brought a final bid of $50,000 or less at their most recent auction. Unraced since debuting with a sixth-place finish during the Keeneland spring meet, Tapirs Valor improved significantly in his second start for trainer John Hancock. The son of Belmont (G1) winner Tapwrit led all the way through splits of :22.72 and :46.73 to win by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:12.11.

Down at Gulfstream Park, a pair of Saturday debut winners caught the eye. Rolando struck first; the Fausto Gutierrez-trained son of Vekoma won a six-furlong maiden special weight by three lengths after pressing and setting fractions of :22.56 and :45.52. The chestnut colt hit the finish line in 1:11.27.

Later on the card, McKellen proved best in a one-mile maiden special weight. The Jose D’Angelo trainee settled in fourth behind fractions of :24.38 and :47.22 before advancing around the turn and down the homestretch to prevail by half a length in 1:39.52. His winning time was on the slow side, but the son of McKinzie deserves credit for beating eight experienced rivals while debuting over one mile, which isn’t an easy feat.

We’ll wrap with a mention of Corvus, who made his fourth start a winning one. Sired by Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Vino Rosso, Corvus ran well without winning in his first three starts on the New York Racing Association circuit, finishing fourth, third, and fourth in a trio of maiden special weights. Two of his defeats came against New York-bred rivals.

It turns out Corvus was crying out for more distance. When he stretched out over one mile in a Friday maiden special weight for New York-breds at Aqueduct, he launched a determined rally from eighth place (behind splits of :22.95 and :46.17) to prevail by three-quarters of a length. Corvus gained 3 1/2 lengths through the final furlong alone and hit the finish line in 1:38.28. Having proven his worth running long, this Jose Jimenez trainee is worth watching; if he keeps improving, a foray on the Road to the Kentucky Derby may beckon.

Top maiden winner of the week: Uncle Jim

Honorable mention: Ican