Mohaymen Pointing Toward Fountain of Youth
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
Mohaymen winning the Holy Bull Stakes.
Shadwell Stable's Mohaymen, who won the Jan. 30 Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (gr. II) to remain undefeated in four starts, came out of the race in good order and is on target for the Feb. 27 Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park should his connections opt for that spot.
"He came out of the race great," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Jan. 31. "He ate up last night and looks excellent this morning. For now, we're pointing for the Fountain of Youth. I haven't confirmed that with Rick Nichols yet or Sheikh Hamdan, but I think that's the plan."
NOVAK: Mohaymen Romps in Holy Bull Stakes
McLaughlin is headed to Dubai, where Frosted is scheduled to race Feb. 4 in preparation for the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) in late March.
Nichols, the United States-based racing manager for Shadwell's Sheikh Hamdan, was on hand for the Holy Bull and was impressed by Mohaymen, a 3-year-old Tapit colt who defeated Champagne Stakes (gr. I) winner Greenpointcrusader with ease.
"(It put) chills up and down the back," Nichols said. "He's just really good. We know he has been good, but this really proves that he's that kind of horse. He beat a grade I winner and it looked to me like he was doing it pretty easy. He had his ears pricked. He was happy.
"Our original plan was, if he liked the track and ran well, we'd leave him here (for) maybe the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby (gr. I). We'll see how he comes out and what the boss thinks."
Mohaymen, a $2.2 million Keeneland September yearling sale purchase bred by Clearsky Farm, last year broke his maiden first time out and then won two grade II stakes, the Nashua and the Remsen. He was ridden as usual by Junior Alvarado in the Holy Bull.
"I was nervous after he didn't break sharp, because it didn't look like there was much pace in the race," McLaughlin said. "I thought we might break well and just be on the lead and stay out of trouble. That didn't happen, but obviously Junior was fine and he had plenty of horse and plenty of confidence. He's just a special, special colt."