Carmel Road to Head East to Start for Yakteen in Gotham

Graded stakes-placed Carmel Road  will seek to prove his Kentucky Derby (G1) credentials when shipping to the East Coast for the $300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) going a one-turn mile on March 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Carmel Road, a bay son of Quality Road  , was second last out in the 1 1/16-mile Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Dec. 17 in Southern California.

He graduated with a front-running score at second asking in August going a two-turn mile at Del Mar, building on his advantage through every point of call and strolling home an 8 3/4-length winner for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

To race with Tim Yakteen as his trainer, Carmel Road is eligible for qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, which in the Gotham are distributed on a 50-20-15-10-5 scale to the top five finishers. Baffert is barred from participating in this year's Kentucky Derby by Churchill Downs Inc. and his horses are barred from earning points toward the race after a series of medication positives from his runners, one of which resulted in the disqualification of Medina Spirit  in the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

Carmel Road is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan—a partnership that also campaigns several other potential Derby contenders.

Carmel Road has trained quickly in recent weeks, breezing five furlongs in :59 Feb. 20 at Santa Anita Park, where both Baffert and Yakteen are based.

"He worked very well last week and came out of it well," said SF Racing's managing partner Tom Ryan. "Last week's work made everyone pay attention. He cruised down there hard held and wanted to gallop out even further. He's a horse that's feeling great at the moment, and this is the time of the year that you want your 3-year-olds to be doing well. The plans are firm at the moment that he will run in the Gotham as long as he's in good shape."

Bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, Carmel Road was bought for $650,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is out of the multiple stakes-winning Unbridled's Song mare Inspired .

Inspired is a half sister to the Medaglia d'Oro mare Treasure —the dam of dual grade 1-placed sophomore National Treasure . Coincidentally, National Treasure is owned by the same partnership as Carmel Road and could also target Derby points in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park, also March 4.

"National Treasure is out of a Medaglia d'Oro   mare, and you can see that in him. This one is a little more compact at this time," Ryan said. "Both are beautifully balanced and well-made colts. We have loads of confidence in them both."

Ryan also mentioned the Gotham as a possible landing spot for graded stakes-placed Fort Warren , who recently joined the barn of Maryland-based conditioner Brittany Russell. His Gotham participation hinges on how he works this weekend, with the seven-furlong $200,000 Bay Shore Stakes (G3) on April 8 at Aqueduct presenting another option if he needs more preparation.

"He needs to tout himself and tell us that he's ready," Ryan said. "If he is, we'll take a look. If not, we'll look at the Bay Shore."

Fort Warren was bought for $550,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the graded stakes-placed, stakes-winning Bernardini mare La Appassionata —a full sister to graded stakes winner Wilburn .