Bourbon Courage will be tested in the Derby Trail at Churchill Downs
Mike McMahon and Jamie Jill, who are the managing partners in Bourbon Lane Stable that owns the rampant 3-year-old colt, Bourbon Courage, declined a seven figure offer for the colt recently, because Bourbon Courage hasn’t put a foot wrong in his two race
career so far.
Trainer Kellyn Gorder was over the moon when Bourbon Courage in his debut race earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103, and since then the conditioner’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing.
“The phone was ringing off the hook,” said Kellyn Gorder, who trains Bourbon Courage for the partnership of Bourbon Lane Stable and Wayne Lynn.
If that wasn’t enough, Bourbon Courage went close to breaking his own Beyer Speed Figure when he ran in the Fair Grounds Race Course’s allowance optional claimer at about six furlongs and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 101 on 24 March, 2012, as he defeated
Macho Macho in second and Raiseanothergator in third with the winning time of 1 minute and 9.24 seconds.
His debut race, which attracted all the attention, was a one off attempt to break his maiden special weight race, which he did in fine style also at Fair Grounds Race Course at about six furlongs on 3 February, 2012.
Bred in Kentucky, Bourbon Courage zoomed past Drago’s Best and Revere, who finished second and third respectively, to down the six furlong sprint in 1 minute and 9.28 seconds.
“The colt got quite an education that day,” said Gorder. “He was a little flat-footed out of the gate before he got going. He really has a quick turn of foot.”
Now the son of Lion Heart, out of mare Shine Forth, has been pointed toward the Grade 3 Derby Trial Stakes on 28 April, 2012, where the rampant colt drew the outside post to run over a distance of 1 mile for a purse of $200,000.
“We’re going to lead him over there with quite a bit of confidence,” Gorder said. “The outside post is just fine. I think it’s better than getting one down on the inside.”
There will be no starter produced by the Derby Trail for the Kentucky Derby, but the race has summoned some serious 3-year-old talent, that will blossom in the latter stages of the season.
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