Eclipse, Twin Creeks Seek Derby With Independence Hall

A few years after teaming with Destin —sixth in the 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and second, beaten a nose, in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1)—owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Twin Creeks Racing Stables have joined forces again, and with Independence Hall they hope to be back on the Triple Crown trail.

The trail they're starting with co-owners Robert and Kathleen Verratti is the most traveled for a leading Derby hopeful. After a pair of blowout victories, including the Nov. 3 Nashua Stakes (G3) by 12 1/4 lengths, Independence Hall's connections opted to bypass the more prestigious Remsen Stakes (G2) in December. Instead, they chose more spacing, settling on the $150,000 Jerome Stakes going a one-turn mile on New Year's Day at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The race is a means to an end, which they hope brings them to Churchill Downs for the Derby on the first Saturday in May.

"We felt as far as the Remsen was concerned, we can't win the Kentucky Derby in December, but we can certainly compromise our chances or lose the Kentucky Derby in December if we were to run him too quickly off such a monstrous performance," said Aron Wellman, the president and founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.

Video: Nashua S. (G3)

The owners, in discussion with trainer Mike Trombetta, are in part trying to avoid a "bounce," a regression handicapping theory that was popularized by users of speed-figure products like the Ragozin Sheets and Thorograph, which graph the performances of horses on charts.

The fact the owners are "bounce" believers should come as no surprise. Twin Creeks director Steve Davison purchased the Ragozin Sheets with longtime Ragozin employee Jake Haddad in 2012.

Other factors in choosing the Jerome include the ability for the colt to remain in his usual setting, training at Trombetta's base at Fair Hill in Maryland. Then he is left with only a short van ride to Aqueduct, where he excelled on the surface at the mile distance. In the Nashua there, he blitzed the mile in 1:34.66.

"I think you have to be careful about getting these horses too good at the wrong time," Twin Creeks team manager Randy Gullatt said. "I think when you stack these races four or five weeks apart, these horses tend to get extremely sharp. As much as you want to see these horses win these big races, we have even bigger goals."

More than his owners regard him as a Derby contender. In Pool 1 of the pari-mutuel Kentucky Derby Future Wager that closed Dec. 1, Independence Hall was the fourth favorite among individual wagering choices at 13-1, not far behind favorite Tiz the Law at 11-1.

His sire, Constitution , went off favored at 5-1 among individual betting interests in the Kentucky Derby Sire Wager, in which bettors collect if progeny by a stallion win the Derby. Constitution is also the sire of Tiz the Law and Claiborne Breeders Futurity (G1) runner-up Gouverneur Morris, another Derby prospect.

Twin Creeks owned Constitution with WinStar Farm when he won the 2014 Besilu Florida Derby (G1) and 2015 Donn Handicap (G1). They still retain shares in him as a stallion, Gullatt said, supporting him with their mares.

Tiz the Law, for example, was bred in New York by Twin Creeks. Out of the Tiznow  mare Tizfiz, he sold for $110,000 to Jack Knowlton of Sackatoga Stable at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale from the Sequel New York consignment.

Constitution, standing at WinStar for a $40,000 stud fee in 2020, is the second-leading first-crop sire in North America behind 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah .

It was Independence Hall being by Constitution that initially put the colt on Twin Creek's radar, and when he won first out at Parx Racing on Pennsylvania Derby Day Sept. 21, racing seven furlongs in 1:24.45, Wellman started discussions to partner with the Verrattis. Soon after, he was joined with interest from Gullatt, who traveled to inspect the colt at Fair Hill.

The Verrattis purchased Independence Hall under their business name of Charlestown Investments for $100,000 from the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds. Consigned this year by Wavertree Stables to The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, he failed to meet his reserve when bidding stalled at $200,000.

"It's been a wonderful partnership to date," Wellman said of working with the Verrattis and Twin Creek. "Obviously, we got off on the right foot in the Nashua. Everyone is just trying to appreciate the position we're in and enjoy this ride because we know how precious it is."

If all goes favorably for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Independence Hall might not be the only runner who could potentially bring them to Churchill Downs next spring. Wellman said Sharing, who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park, is under consideration for a dirt stakes in the spring to assess her viability for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill.

The 2-year-old Speightstown  filly, who is also owned by Antony Beck's Gainesway Stable, is in light training with trainer Graham Motion at Palm Meadows in South Florida. Before winning a couple of stakes this fall on turf, she broke her maiden on dirt at Saratoga Race Course in a race that was taken off the grass because of wet weather.

The March 7 Florida Oaks (G3T) at 1 1/16 miles on the Tampa Bay Downs grass course is a tentative target for her first start at 3, after which a dirt race could follow, Wellman said. A trip to Royal Ascot to run on grass might also be considered if their Kentucky Oaks ambitions do not work out.

Eclipse also has a new Derby hopeful in the Gustavo Delgado-trained Soros, in whom they were able to acquire an ownership interest after he won the Nov. 30 Smooth Air Stakes at Gulfstream. Wellman expects him to run soon, with the Jan. 18 Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots a possibility.