Khozan Impresses Again at Gulfstream Park

A bumped start barely fazed heavily-favored Khozan in his second straight romp at Gulfstream Park.

After an easy seven-furling maiden special weight victory in his debut Jan. 24, the colt, purchased for $1 million by Al Shaqab Racing, impressed again Feb. 22 with a 12 3/4-length win in a one-turn-mile optional claiming event on a fast track .

The 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor   will surely garner plenty of Triple Crown buzz after beating the only other Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I)-nominated colt in the race, Big Family, by such a significant margin.

"It was another very impressive performance," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "It was what we were hoping for, but we were glad to see it all the same. He got a little bit of an education today and did some things he didn't do in his debut."

Pletcher also said the colt, a half brother to champion Royal Delta, will likely head to the Besilu Stables Florida Derby (gr. I) March 28 next time out.

"We'll discuss it, but I think the logical next race would probably be the Florida Derby," Pletcher said. "He's two-for-two over the track and he has trained well here. He has run well over the track, so we'll talk about it and see."

Bred in Kentucky by Adena Springs, Khozan is out of the A.P. Indy mare Delta Princess. He was purchased at the Fasig-Tipton Florida selected 2-year-olds in training sale last February when consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, which had pinhooked him for $350,000 from the Adena Springs consignment at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale.

After the bumped start, Khozan spent the first half-mile off the pace Sunday, as leader Bluegrass Luck opened up fractions of :23.51 and :46.57, then moved up to take a clear lead at the quarter pole. Khozan covered the six furlongs in 1:11.57.

The Pletcher trainee then drew off under a hand ride from jockey Javier Castellano in the stretch and finished the mile in 1:38.07. The colt paid $2.10 to win, place, and show. Big Family, second by almost 13 lengths, paid $3 and $2.40.

"The way he did it today was so easy," Castellano said. "My strategy today was not to rush him and let him have a chance to pick it up, because today was a mile race. He reacted so good behind horses. He took dirt in his face and didn't mind at all.

"He put himself in a good spot. I saved all the ground and cut the corner. I really liked the way he did it today. He's a brilliant horse."