Vekoma Resumes Breezing Toward 4-Year-Old Debut

Graded stakes winner Vekoma, unraced since a 12th-place finish in the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs, has resumed breezing as he prepares for his first start as a 4-year-old.

Winner of last year's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, Vekoma has worked twice this winter, starting off with a leg-stretching :39.74 three-furlong breeze Jan. 20 followed by another easy work at that distance in :38.85 Jan. 28. Both breezes came at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida.

Video: Toyota Blue Grass S. (G2)

Vekoma raced three times at 3 last year for trainer George Weaver and owners R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables, also running third behind Code of Honor in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park in his seasonal debut. That followed a 2-for-2 campaign as a juvenile in which he won a maiden race at Belmont Park and the Nashua Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

"He was a tired 3-year-old," co-owner Michael Gatsas said Tuesday. "When he ran in the Derby he wasn't even 3 until the end of the month. If he had run in the Preakness he wouldn't have even been 3 years-old. 

"Being a colt and having a chance to make the Derby, we pushed on him and afterward we thought, let's give him a rest. And that's what we did. We gave him an extended rest and he's back, doing pretty well."

Bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stables, Vekoma was foaled May 22, 2016. He was purchased by Randy Hill's R. A. Hill Stable for $135,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Lane's End, agent.

A son of Candy Ride , he is out of dual graded winner Mona de Momma, a Speightstown  mare who has produced two starters and winners from her three foals. Mona de Momma won the Las Flores Handicap (G3) and Humana Distaff Stakes (G1) in 2010.

Gatsas said a race or timetable has not been established for Vekoma's return, noting the colt is still regaining fitness.

Also breezing this week at Palm Beach Downs for Weaver was Point of Honor, who went a half-mile in :51.02 Jan. 26, her third breeze of 2020. Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Stetson Racing, she won the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course last year before finishing second in both the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.