MUSKET MAN (Yonaguska), recent winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) by a neck
over Join in the Dance (Sky Mesa), is under consideration for the April 4 Wood
Memorial S. (G1) at Aqueduct.
“He’s nominated for the (April 4) Illinois Derby (G2) at Hawthorne, but the
owners are all from New York, so we might have to look at the Wood Memorial,
too,” trainer Derek Ryan said. “We just have to see how he comes out of it and
go from there.”
Daniel Centano was aboard the colt in the Tampa Bay Derby, which was the
fourth win in five career starts for Musket Man. After breaking his maiden at
Belmont Park and taking an allowance at Philadelphia Park last fall, Musket Man
moved to Tampa Bay Downs where he captured the Pasco S. on January 17. He
endured his first loss when a distant third in the Sam F. Davis S. (G3) in his
two-turn debut.
“Daniel (Centeno) had been working him in the mornings, and he never worked
as well for anyone else,” Ryan said. “The last two times, when Daniel pulled up
he told me, ‘This horse works like a freak for me.’ Usually when he works, when
he hits the eighth-pole he waits; I told Daniel that he had to get into him to
teach him that he has to go on. I’ll definitely keep Danny on him now.”