OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Michael Trombetta said he is eyeing a return to New York for R. Larry Johnson homebred Mr Jefferson in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Withers, at Aqueduct Racetrack. The nine-furlong test for sophomores offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.
The Maryland-bred Constitution chestnut shipped to Aqueduct for his last two starts, finishing a distant fourth in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen on December 4 ahead of a sixth-place finish in the one-turn mile Jerome which was contested over a sloppy and sealed track on New Year’s Day.
A two-time winner, Mr Jefferson broke his maiden going six furlongs at Colonial Downs in August two starts before defeating winners in November at Laurel Park.
Trombetta said Mr Jefferson will benefit from the stretch out in distance.
“More than likely, I’ll send Mr Jefferson up. The two turns definitely helps him,” Trombetta said. “The first time I brought him up, I thought he ran well. The last time I don’t think he liked the track very much. That might have had something to do with the sub-par performance.”
Mr Jefferson was initially breezing over the synthetic surface at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, but has posted his last two works over the main track at Laurel. He went an easy half-mile in 50.80 seconds Sunday.
“The track was deep because of the cold weather, but he worked well,” Trombetta said.
Mr Jefferson is out of the Malibu Moon mare Clockstrucktwelve, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes-winning sprinter Never Enough Time – a daughter of Munnings, who also is trained by Trombetta.
While Mr Jefferson will make the trek to New York, Trombetta said his stablemate Conclusive, also a two-time winner, will likely remain in Maryland for the $100,000 Miracle Wood on February 19 going one mile at Laurel Park.
Owned by Sonata Stable, Conclusive defeated winners going 1 1/16-miles on January 2 at Laurel last out, where he set the pace and built on his advantage throughout, winning by 5 3/4 lengths.
On Saturday, Trombetta sent out Three Diamonds Farm’s Jakarta to finish third in the Grade 2 Inside Information on the Pegasus World Cup undercard at Gulfstream Park.
The two-time black type stakes-winning Bustin Stones mare arrived at the Inside Information off a three-length triumph in the seven-furlong Mrs. Claus on December 28 at Parx. Trombetta said the Grade 3, $250,000 Barbara Fritchie on February 19 at Laurel Park, also run at seven furlongs, would be her likely next target.
“Finishing third in a Grade 2 is not bad. If she trains well, we could go back north for the Barbara Fritchie,” Trombetta said.
Aqueduct Racetrack Notes/NYRA
Photo: Mr Jefferson gets Mike Trombetta his 2000th win/Maryland Jockey Club
