Drew’s Gold makes his stakes debut a winning one in the Jimmy Winkfield (Chelsea Durand)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Drew’s Gold, trained and co-owned by James Chapman with Stuart Tsujimoto, exited his 4 1/4-length score in the six-furlong $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield on February 11 here with a virus and could miss his targeted start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores on April 8.
Chapman said the Violence dark bay, who is undefeated in three career starts, is scheduled to work Saturday over the Belmont Park dirt training track provided forecasted rain doesn’t hamper their plans.
“He’s doing good now, but he came out of the Winkfield with a bit of a virus and we gave him a little bit of time,” Chapman said. “Out of his win, I had two or three horses that got sick and he was one of them.
“I’ve missed a couple works,” he continued. “He’s supposed to work tomorrow, but it’s supposed to rain. The schedule is a little messed up.”
The Kentucky-bred overcame slow starts in his first two outings, taking a restricted maiden tilt in May at Churchill Downs, returning eight months later to score in an optional claimer on January 28 at Laurel Park. The $25,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase made every pole a winning one under Jose Gomez in the Jimmy Winkfield, stopping the clock in a final time of 1:13.09 to equal a career-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure.
Chapman has taken his time with the talented colt.
“He’s a late foal. After that first race, he had a tibia issue that set him back and then everything was good,” Chapman said. “As good as he’s been and as much time as we’ve taken with him, I just want to do right by the horse.”
The long-term goal for Drew’s Gold is the seven-furlong Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun on June 10 at Belmont Park. Should the Bay Shore not work out, Chapman said the six-furlong $150,000 Gold Fever on May 12 could be a viable alternative.
“He needs to get a good work in,” Chapman said. “Long term, I’d rather do right by the horse and the Gold Fever sets up perfect for the Woody Stephens. Seven furlongs is a tricky distance when everything is not lined up 100 percent and I don’t want to get the horse beat.”
However, Chapman said he would not make any decisions until seeing Drew’s Gold post his first recorded breeze since the Jimmy Winkfield.
“We let him cruise an easy three-eighths the other morning, so he has that under him,” Chapman said. “He’s been training super, but I wanted to make sure he’s all cleared up before I did anything with him.”
Drew’s Gold, out of the multiple stakes-winning Vindication mare Frolic’s Revenge, is a half-sibling to stakes-winner American Frolic.
