Welcome to Kentucky Derby Prospect Profiles, the place we’ll have a look every week at a latest winner on the Triple Crown path, normally from the Street to the Kentucky Derby schedule that provides qualifying factors to the primary leg of the sequence. The 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve will likely be held Could 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs.
This week, we’ll take a more in-depth have a look at Poster, the winner by a nostril of the $250,000 Remsen Stakes Dec. 7 at Aqueduct. The Munnings colt earned his first 10 factors towards qualifying for the 2025 Kentucky Derby with the win and at present ranks eighth on the Street to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
Racing Résumé: Poster received his first two races going one mile on the grass in Kentucky, so the 1 1/8-mile Remsen Stakes Saturday at Aqueduct was difficult on a number of fronts. Coach Eoin Harty and owner-breeder Godolphin shipped him from Kentucky to New York, began him on grime for the primary time in a race, and examined him an additional eighth of a mile in distance.
That may be a lot to throw at a 2-year-old racehorse however Poster proved as much as the duty.
His Remsen win was not at all an ideal race – profitable jockey Flavien Prat mentioned he idled a bit after attending to the entrance early within the stretch – however Poster held on to nip Aviator Gui by a nostril and did so whereas posting his ultimate quarter-mile in :24.74 and his ultimate eighth of a mile in :12.60, each high quality closing fractions for a 2-year-old navigating 1 1/8 miles for the primary time in his third begin.
Poster was final early in Remsen and gave the impression to be climbing a bit leaving the primary flip, however jockey Flavien Prat requested him to select up the tempo early on the ultimate flip and the colt swept to the entrance getting into the stretch.
“Going into the primary flip, he was struggling a bit to get right into a rhythm, however then as soon as I acquired into the flip he began touring significantly better. I felt very effectively going into the final flip and I believed [Aviator Gui] was form of caught inside, so I moved to try to get the soar on him,” Prat mentioned.
“Once I turned for residence, I figured it was going to be a good distance on my own. He acquired to the eighth pole and began wanting round and felt just like the job was accomplished. He regrouped properly when that horse got here.”
Poster is now 3-for-3 with a Grade 2 win at 1 1/8 miles on the grime to his credit score.
Velocity Figures: Poster has improved his Equibase Velocity Determine and Beyer Velocity Determine with every begin. His 97 Equibase Velocity Determine for the Remsen was a four-point enchancment whereas his 84 Beyer Velocity Determine was 15 factors higher than his earlier prime. Neither velocity determine jumps off the web page as an indicator of future stardom. Nevertheless, there are only a few 1 1/8-mile races for 2-year-olds on any floor and the tempo within the Remsen was pretty gradual, so maybe the figures will not be totally consultant of the standard of the efficiency.
Operating Model: Poster led from begin to end in his debut at Ellis Park then stalked from third in a 12-horse discipline in his second race at Keeneland. He dropped a bit farther again early in his first begin on grime within the Remsen, however as soon as he acquired acclimated to the floor he moved as much as stalking vary and I might count on him to settle in as a stalker slightly than a more in-depth. Poster has some tactical velocity at his disposal.
Connections: If you happen to learn final week’s characteristic on First Resort, you can be aware of proprietor Godolphin and coach Eoin Harty, who’ve now received back-to-back Grade 2 Kentucky Derby preps with the aforementioned Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes winner and Remsen winner Poster.
Godolphin is the operation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai who has been concerned in Thoroughbred racing since 1977. Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Steady received the 2006 Preakness with Bernardini and Godolphin earned a traditional win within the 2021 Belmont Stakes Offered by NYRA Bets with Important High quality. Godolphin has swept the final 4 Eclipse Awards as excellent proprietor (2020-2023) and the final three as excellent breeder (2021-2023). Sheikh Mohammed has not received the Kentucky Derby.
Harty is a fifth-generation horseman who went out on his personal in 2000 and has received greater than 650 races, together with the 2001 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with Tempera.
Jockey Flavien Prat is the front-runner to take residence the 2024 Eclipse Award as excellent jockey in North America. He set a document within the Remsen along with his 80th stakes win of the yr, surpassing Irad Ortiz Jr.’s earlier document of 79 set in 2022. He additionally tied Corridor of Fame rider Jerry Bailey along with his 55th graded stakes win of the yr. Prat’s marquee wins this yr embrace the Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional on Sierra Leone. Prat has two wins in U.S. traditional races, taking the 2019 Kentucky Derby on Nation Home and the 2021 Preakness aboard Rombauer.
Pedigree Notes: Poster is from the 11th crop of a number of graded stakes-winning sprinter Munnings, by champion sprinter Speightstown. Like his sire, Munnings is able to siring racehorses that thrive navigating longer distances like a number of Grade 1-winning router I’m a Chatterbox, 2021 Woodbine Oaks winner Munnyfor Ro, 2020 Truthful Grounds Oaks winner Bonny South, and 2020 Rachel Alexandra Stakes winner Finite. Munnings has standout runners sprinting and on grass as effectively, so he’s developed into a flexible sire.
Poster was produced by Pin Up, by influential stamina sire Tapit. Pin Up’s lone win in 4 begins got here at 1 3/16 miles, however extra notable than her racing document is her shut sibling Bernardini, by Tapit’s sire, A.P. Indy. Bernardini received the 2006 Preakness, Travers Stakes, and Jockey Membership Gold Cup for Sheikh Mohammed. Love and Satisfaction, one other very shut relative of Pin Up, received the Grade 1 Private Ensign Stakes at 1 1/8 miles and the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at 1 1/16 miles in 2012.
Derby Potential: I favored Poster fairly a bit getting into the Remsen Stakes and he lived as much as my expectations within the race. He completed effectively and aced a tough take a look at within the Remsen during which he was requested to navigate a number of variables (distance, floor, delivery) for the primary time. Whereas many will have a look at his sire and surprise if Poster may need distance limitations, I view Munnings as a plus general, particularly for a colt from a powerful household with loads of stamina influences plus Tapit as his dam’s sire. He’s not quick sufficient but, however Poster is on a promising trajectory with vital upside. I’m actually desirous to see if he takes a giant step ahead in his second begin on grime, which I believe is a powerful potential end result and would set up Poster as a significant contender for the 2025 Kentucky Derby. I’m a fan!
