Gronkowski Staying Home for Burradon Stakes

Trainer Jeremy Noseda has changed his plans for Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) contender Gronkowski, who will not be shipped to the United States for a prep race, but instead will start in the Burradon Stakes March 30 at Newcastle.

The Burradon is the final race in the European Road to the Kentucky Derby series, which will award a single spot in the Louisville classic's field. Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Gronkowski is tied in the lead with Mendelssohn in the European points series going into the Burradon, a one-mile test for 3-year-olds on a synthetic surface.

After Gronkowski won the Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes March 7 at Kempton Park, Noseda said he planned to ship the Kentucky-bred son of Lonhro to the United States for a start in either the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland or the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack. But Feb. 23 Noseda said he'd changed his mind, in part because of a misunderstanding about the Derby qualifying points system.

Points earned in the European Road to the Kentucky Derby do not cross over to the main Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. With that clear, Noseda will keep Gronkowski in Europe for one more start.

"We've had to change our plans due to the Kentucky Derby points system," Noseda said on his website. "It has been decided that Gronkowski will head to the Burradon at Newcastle."

Noseda said Gronkowski is in great shape and prepared for Friday's race, where he was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite among the 13 3-year-olds entered.

Gronkowski currently has 20 points, and among European Road to the Kentucky Derby horses who are being considered for the Kentucky Derby, is tied with Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) winner Mendelssohn, who will skip the Burradon in favor of the March 31 UAE Derby Sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2). The UAE Derby is part of the North American Road to the Kentucky Derby series.

A first- or second-place finish by Gronkowski on Friday will give his connections first choice to accept the European Road's spot in the Derby. A finish of third or worse would mean the winner of Friday's race would have first choice.

Awaiting Gronkowski in the Burradon is group 3-winning filly Nyaleti, who will make her seasonal debut. Last year the Irish-bred daughter of Arch won the Princess Margaret Juddmonte Stakes (G3) and placed in three other group stakes. The filly will be making her first start on a synthetic surface.

Also entered is Juddmonte Farms' homebred Purser, a group 3-placed son of Mizzen Mast . Purser, who also will be making his seasonal debut, won an October race on the synthetic surface at Lingfield by nine lengths.