Mage Back to Work with Travers as 'Number One Goal'

Image: 
Description: 

Photo: Mathea Kelley
Mage wins the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs

Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Mage  returned to the work tab June 23 at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Ky., with an easy "part breeze, part two-minute lick" according to co-owner Ramiro Restrepo. The 3-year-old Good Magic   colt was officially credited with a final time of 1:07 1/5 for five furlongs by Equibase.

"It wasn't about the time, it was just about getting him back in action," Restrepo said. "It was like having your first day back at the gym for real. Next week he'll have more of a traditional work.

"He had 17 days off with no track, no saddle. Just the round pen and spa. And letting him get some weight back on him. We're just happy to get him back going, and he's happy too."

Mage was sent to The Thoroughbred Center after a third-place finish in the May 20 Preakness Stakes (G1). Restrepo remarked that the colt "had a lot on his plate" since first breaking his maiden in January for Restrepo and partners Sterling Racing, CMNWLTH, and OGMA Investments, which is comprised of Mage's trainer Gustavo Delgado and his son Gustavo Delgado Jr.

Following his debut victory, Mage was fourth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and a narrow runner-up to champion 2-year-old male Forte  in the Florida Derby (G1) ahead of his Derby triumph.

Sign up for

"He represented us and himself (through the spring) in amazing fashion," Restrepo said. "And now the Travers is our number one goal—it's our summer Super Bowl. We want him ready to just run out of his skin. And whatever we have to do to get him there it'll be up to (Mage) to show us what that is."

Restrepo indicated that possible targets on the way to the Aug. 26 Travers Stakes (G1) could be the July 22 Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park or the July 29 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course.

"Every race he's ever run in, he's led us there so I think the next place we run in his next few works will give us an indication whether it's the Haskell, Jim Dandy, or training right up to the Travers," Restrepo said.

While his next start may be uncertain, what is clear for Team Mage is that the colt will be shipped up to Saratoga sooner rather than later. Restrepo said Mage could have one more work in Lexington before heading north, weather pending.

"We have some other horses running in stakes races up there Aug. 2 and Aug. 4 so we wanted to get Mage and all the others used to the track," Restrepo said. "(Delgado and Delgado Jr.) are comfortable up there. They won the Test (Stakes, G1) up there before. Saratoga is just a real home away from home. And Mage will be running out of his own backyard."

With Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Arcangelo  and divisional stars Forte and Tapit Trice  also pointing toward the Travers, Restrepo is anticipating the showdown to come.

"I’ve said it before I’m a horse racing fan and racing historian junkie. I’m appreciative as a fan to see a deep group of 3-year-olds that are running against each other and battling it out," Restrepo said. "Racing is better as a product when you can see those competitive divisions. I love to see it. We welcome those challenges and rivalries and I just hope everyone stays sound and we give everybody a treat for the rest of the year."