McLaughlin 'had to change everything' for Frosted ahead of Wood

Last updated: 4/5/15 3:40 PM

McLaughlin ‘had to change everything’ for Frosted ahead of
Wood

Frosted earned a career-best 107 Brisnet Speed rating in the Wood
(Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos)

Not even the University of Kentucky’s loss to Wisconsin Saturday evening
could dampen the spirits of trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who hours earlier saddled
Godolphin Racing’s Frosted (Tapit) to a solid two-length victory at Aqueduct in
the TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial (G1).

The victory put the gray among the top contenders for the Kentucky Derby (G1)
at Churchill Downs by giving him 100 qualifying points for the May 2 race.

Runner-up Tencendur (Warrior’s Reward) earned 40 points, also enough to put
him in the starting gate for the Run for the Roses, while third-place finisher
El Kabeir (Scat Daddy) had already earned enough points to qualify before the
Wood.

“It was such a special win yesterday,” said McLaughlin, who attended the
University of Kentucky. “Having worked for Godolphin for 21 years and to have a
three-year-old for them, it worked out great.”

Following Frosted’s confounding fourth-place finish in the Fountain of Youth
(G2) at Gulfstream Park, where he stopped at the head of the stretch, McLaughlin
changed practically everything about the colt except his color.

He sent Frosted from Florida back to Aqueduct, where he had broken his maiden
and finished second in the Remsen (G2); changed riders from Irad Ortiz Jr. to
Joel Rosario; adjusted his blinkers; had a minor procedure done on his throat to
eliminate any risk of a breathing problem, and worked him three-quarters of a
mile behind two horses.

“I don’t often work a horse that distance, and I feel bad about the rider
change, but we had to change everything,” McLaughlin said. “It worked out. We’ve
had some nice wins, but that was our first Grade 1 win since Alpha won the
Woodward (at Saratoga) in 2013, so it’s been a while.”

McLaughlin said he had not yet mapped out Frosted’s schedule for the next
four weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby.

“We have to make a plan, and we have three options,” he said. “We could stay
here, work once here, work twice here, and then go to Kentucky. We could go
there and work twice there. Or, we could go to Florida, like we’ve been
training, fly in, work once — or not at all — and run. So we have to talk
about it.”

Frosted, whom McLaughlin likened to Cairo Prince as the best three-year-old
he’s trained for Godolphin, is now 2-4-0 from seven starts with earnings of
$836,800.

Austin Luttrell, McLaughlin’s assistant, told the Keeneland publicity team
that Frosted would likely head to the Lexington, Kentucky, track to continue
preparations for the Derby.

Luttrell also had word of Classy Class (Discreetly Mine), who was fifth in
Saturday’s Blue Grass (G1). Fine the morning after, Cheyenne Stables’ colt
eventually will return to New York with future races probably at a one-turn mile
or seven furlongs.

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