Patena works for Louisiana
Derby
Two of trainer Richard Dutrow’s sophomores — PATENA (Seeking the Gold) and
THIS ONES FOR PHIL (Untuttable) — went to the track Saturday morning to achieve
completely different aims. Patena passed an important test with an easy
six-furlong workout at Gulfstream Park, keeping him firmly on course for the
March 14 Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds, while This Ones for Phil blew out
for the Fountain of Youth S. (G2) later Saturday.
Patena was privately purchased by IEAH Stables after his runner-up effort in
the January 10 Lecomte S. (G3). Since his arrival in Dutrow’s barn at Gulfstream,
he has been working through different ailments.
“When we got him here we wanted to go to work on some hind-end issues and try
to help him put some weight on,” Dutrow said Saturday morning. “He had been
coughing for about 10 days. Today was the first day he scoped completely clean.
We’ve been clearing different issues, and it seems to all be coming together.”
Exercise rider/jockey Mario Madrid was aboard for the breeze, which Gulfstream clockers caught in 1:15 3/5.
“Mario told me that he pulled him to every pole this morning,” Dutrow said.
“He was very happy with him. We’ve got one more breeze to go here and then we
will fly to New Orleans on the 12th. I’m under the impression we are right on
target.”
Dutrow sent out This Ones for Phil before the sun was up for a blowout
through the stretch ahead of his highly anticipated run in Saturday’s one-mile
test.
“I got him out there before anybody could see him,” Dutrow said. “He’s
great.”
Dutrow expects jockey Edgar Prado and This Ones for Phil to get a great trip
just off the expected fast pace of the Fountain of Youth.
When asked if the gelding could be keyed up early by stretching out from his
victory in the six-furlong Sunshine Millions Dash last time out, Dutrow points
to the rapport between horse and rider and smiles.
“Edgar gets on him and it looks like they are best friends,” he said. “I
can’t see them getting in any arguments now.”