Mohaymen Nears Return to Training

This time last year, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin was talking about Shadwell Stable's Mohaymen as the best classic prospect that had ever come through his barn. After a 3-year-old campaign that started fast then went awry, McLaughlin now hopes the multiple graded stakes-winning son of Tapit   can regain some of the luster that inspired such lofty thoughts to begin with.

The one-time darling of the 3-year-old ranks has been resting and recouping at Shadwell's Lexington base since an 11th in the Aug. 27 Ketel One King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I), his fourth straight loss after winning his first five career starts. Though several of his former rivals have now retired to the breeding shed, Mohaymen is set to return to McLaughlin's barn in the next couple months for a 2017 campaign—a comeback his connections hope comes complete with a return to form.

After scoring handy victories in the Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (gr. II) and Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth (gr. II) early in the year, Mohaymen was touted by many as the most talented contender on the Triple Crown trail. The first blow to that reputation came when he finished a well-beaten fourth behind champion and eventual Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Nyquist   in the April 2 Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (gr. I). After two more fourth-place efforts in the Kentucky Derby and Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) and his King's Bishop disappointment, the decision was made to call it a year for the lightly-built colt.

Keeping weight on the gray runner is something McLaughlin said he always struggled with. Since being at Shadwell, his conditioner states Mohaymen has packed on over 100 pounds and seems to be physically thriving.

"He's put on weight just by not training and doing well," McLaughlin said. "In two weeks or so, he's going to Camden (Training Center) to get started, and we hope to get him back in February and March. It's exciting that he's put on a lot of weight and hopefully that will help us going forward."

Bred by Clearsky Farms, Mohaymen was a $2.2 million co-sale topper at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale and sold out of the same consignment that offered up Travers (gr. I) and Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Arrogate. Where Arrogate famously bloomed late, Mohaymen showed precocity in taking the grade II Nashua and Remsen Stakes during his 2-year-old season. 

McLaughlin hopes that a fully freshened version of the colt is now ready to play catch-up.

"We're obviously hopeful that he's going to be back running in grade Is at some point," McLaughlin said. "He's still a very talented horse."