Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Vassimo strikes for Pletcher

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Kentucky Derby (G1) twice with Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017).

Both of those Derby winners wintered in Florida, as is customary for Pletcher’s best horses. Starting around December and continuing throughout the winter months, it’s common to see Pletcher saddle Florida winners in bunches, many of them two-year-olds and three-year-olds with possible Road to the Kentucky Derby aspirations.

Well, it’s that time of year again. Pletcher trainees are turning up in the Gulfstream Park entries with increasing frequency, and last Saturday he sent out two-year-old Vassimo to win his debut in a one-mile maiden special weight.

Could the Road to the Kentucky Derby be in Vassimo’s future? It’s not out of the question. The $120,000 yearling acquisition showed tactical speed at Gulfstream, tracking splits of :24.11 and :47.14 in third place before taking over to win by one length in 1:39.43. As a son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist out of Davona Dale (G2) winner and Ashland (G1) runner-up Bsharpsonata, Vassimo is bred to shine in the spring classics and must be added to Kentucky Derby watch lists.

On the same afternoon at Gulfstream, Ain’t No Disco graduated in a six-furlong maiden special weight. Fourth, fourth, and third in his first three starts on the Kentucky circuit, Ain’t No Disco found the competition a bit easier in Florida. The son of talented sprinter/miler Catalina Cruiser rated in fourth behind an opening quarter-mile in :22.83 before taking command and edging clear to win by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:11.86. Brian Lynch trains the chestnut colt.

Kentucky shippers also found success at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas last week. On Friday, Authentic Gallop bounced back from a sixth-place finish in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Churchill Downs to win an identical contest at Oaklawn in comfortable fashion. The son of 2020 Kentucky Derby hero Authentic settled in second place as a runaway leader clocked splits of :22.92, :46.80, and 1:13.18, then advanced to win by two lengths in 1:47.53. It was the first win in five starts for Authentic Gallop, who hails from the Tom Amoss barn.

The following day, Brodeur struck success in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Oaklawn. Coming off a fifth-place finish in his debut over the same track and distance at Churchill Downs—a race in which Ain’t No Disco finished third—Brodeuer improved significantly in his second start. The Mark Casse-trained son of Nyquist dashed to the lead through fractions of :22.04 and :45.51 before staying on nicely (final two furlongs in :12.61 and :12.54) to hang on and win by a head in 1:10.66.

Brodeur’s margin of victory wasn’t eye-catching, but the rallying runner-up El Prestigio pulled 8 1/4 lengths clear of the rest. El Prestigio had finished second three times previously to talented horses like the multiple Grade 1-placed Ferocious and unbeaten Inaugural S. winner Donut God, so for Brodeur to prevail against a horse like El Prestigio is notable.

Out west in California, second-time starter Frank Bullitt decisively defeated California-bred rivals in a six-furlong maiden special weight on Saturday at Los Alamitos. The chestnut gelding never factored in his Aug. 31 debut over the same class level at Del Mar, finishing eighth. But the 3 1/2-month layoff clearly made a difference for Frank Bullitt, as the Debbie Winick trainee led from the start through splits of :21.89 and :45.55 on his way to victory by three lengths in 1:10.08.

Last up on our list of notable maiden winners is Fireballin, a son of Honest Mischief who debuted with victory in a seven-furlong maiden special weight for New York-breds on Sunday at Aqueduct. A slow start left the Mike Maker trainee racing as many as 4 1/2 lengths behind fractions of :22.70 and :46.20, but down the homestretch Fireballin rallied steadily to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:24.57.

Top maiden winner of the week: Brodeur

Honorable mention: Vassimo