A winning debut for Dune Road Dec. 8 at Aqueduct (NYRA/Coglianese)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Blue Devil Racing Stable’s Kentucky homebred Dune Road is possible to make his next start in the $150,000 Jerome on January 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The one-turn mile for sophomores offers 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.
Trained by Carlos Martin, the Speightstown gelding graduated on debut with a gate-to-wire performance on December 8 here under Kendrick Carmouche in a one-turn mile maiden claimer. The dark bay marked splits of 22.97 seconds, 46.53 and 1:12.39 over the fast main track, kicking clear at the quarter-pole to a 2 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:38.10. He garnered a 68 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I was surprised he showed that much speed. In the morning, he had always been steady and didn’t show 22 and change speed, but he broke so sharp that Kendrick just left him alone,” Martin said. “I was pretty happy. He was ready to run but the way we usually prepare our horses, you would hope they keep improving moving forward. We don’t crank them to the gills first time out, so I’m optimistic that was a pretty good effort all things considered.”
Martin said he is hopeful that Dune Road will continue to improve with racing experience.
“He’s still a work in progress. It took his mind a while to come around,” Martin said. “We gelded him three or four months ago and he’s a little on the quirky side, but he was very professional in the paddock and in the race. He broke sharp and was on cruise control. I watched the replay and he was a little green not switching leads, so I still believe there’s some improvement there.”
Dune Road, a half-brother to stakes-winner Kentucky Ghost, is out of the graded stakes-winning After Market mare Closing Range, who is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Stupendous Miss.
“He’s a compact horse – more a medium size. He’s got a lot of Speightstown in him even though he’s not chestnut,” Martin said. “He’s a handy, athletic type of horse – well-made and solid.
“The dam has had a coupe nice horses like Kentucky Ghost, who has earned over half a million,” Martin added. “He has an interesting pedigree, so he’s a horse that hopefully can get better and distance doesn’t seem like it will be an issue. He’ll run on.”
Martin said he has nominated Dune Road to the Jerome and will keep an eye on how tough the race comes up.
“The ‘non-winners of one’ is the day before and if the Jerome is coming up light, you have to consider all the options,” Martin said.
Amanda Laderer and Dianette Rivas’ Kentucky homebred Lady Milagro, a 51-1 upset winner of the $150,000 Autumn Days on November 17 here, has shipped to Florida for a start in the $100,000 Abundantia, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on December 31 at Gulfstream Park.
The 4-year-old First Dude bay led through splits of 21.69 seconds and 43.84 over the firm outer turf course in the six-furlong Autumn Days, surging to a five-length lead at the stretch call en route to a 1 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:07.55. The victory, which garnered a career-best 91 Beyer, provided apprentice jockey Luis Rivera, Jr. his first career stakes win.
Martin said a half-mile breeze December 7 in 47.61 over the Belmont dirt training track convinced him Lady Milagro was ready for one more race this year.
“She came out of the race great,” Martin said. “I was going to go ahead and punt the football away but she was doing so well I wanted to work her once and she worked sensational. She’s sound, doing good and there’s not many races left.
“I sent her down to Florida and it seemed like she shipped in fine,” Marin added. “We’ll probably get a good work Friday over the Tapeta surface and take one last chance and then give her a bit of a break.”
The victory marked the first stakes win for Lady Milagro, who has banked $329,852 through a 24-4-4-4 record. However, the talented bay has proven to be especially effective on turf with a 7-3-1-1 ledger and Martin said he is hopeful she will thrive in her first Florida start.
“It would be nice to end the year on a high note,” Martin said. “I know three-quarter speed and five-eighths speed is different but 21 and 43 is 21 and 43. I’m optimistic she’ll be tough.
“One more and we’ll put her away for a New York campaign next season,” Martin added. “She’s really thriving physically and mentally and putting it together.”
