El Padrino’s comeback race at Gulfstream Park long hoped by connections
It was a concern for El Padrino’s connections when the 3-year-old colt finished way back in 13th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on 5 May, 2012, and was sidelined for an extended period, but Kevin Scatuorchio and Bryan Sullivan of Let's Go Stable stayed optimistic, and had full faith on trainer Todd Pletcher, who has the ability to have an eye for a good spot.
He has certainly found one for the Pulpit colt, and it might not be a soft one, as El Padrino gears up to go at it again, but this time against older horses in a $60,500 allowance optional claimer going a mile at Gulfstream Park.
The strapping chestnut will return to races after hiatus of 7 ½ months, and on 19 December, 2012, it will be clear if he has to shake off some rust, as he eyes an early season target of the Grade 1, $500,000 Donn Handicap on 9 February, 2013.
The allowance optional will provide El Padrino with enough distance and competition to get back into the groove before the big one.
Bred in Kentucky by Emory A. Hamilton, El Padrino’s juvenile season was a mild one, with one victory in three starts overall, but he did go for a graded stakes event, in which he mustered up a placed finish.
Second in his first attempt to beat the maidens over seven furlongs at Saratoga, El Padrino got it right the second time around going over a mile at Belmont Park, and then was off to the Big A to participate in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes, but finished third to winner, O’Prado Again.
Started brightly as a sophomore with two wins in the bag in as many starts including the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes, but faded away in the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby.
"From 2 to 3 we never really took him out of training, he never really left Todd's barn," Scatuorchio said. "He really had a pretty long campaign going into the Derby and then he got roughed up a little bit with a troubled trip. The break lost him any chance to get a call in the stretch. We felt it was right to give him a little rest after that and let him be a horse for a while, just some time off doing nothing. He was turned out and once we started back up on him, he really didn't miss a beat."
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