Talk Show Man was up late to win the Maryland Million Turf last October. After he finished 11th in the G2 Dixie, trainer Hamilton Smith is eyeing his next spot. Photo by Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club.
From a Maryland Jockey Club release
Local trainers have mapped out plans for a pair of Preakness weekend runners based in Maryland.
Despite watching his 3-year-old colt Bodhisattva finish eighth and last May 16 in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, trainer Jose Corrales said he wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
“The experience? I cannot buy it again,” Corrales said. “It was the greatest experience.”
Bodhisattva, who went into the Preakness off a victory April 18 in the Federico Tesio, was fifth after the opening quarter mile of the Preakness but steadily dropped back, losing ground at every subsequent call.
“Whatever happened that day with the rain, the lightening, the crowd…you can’t prepare for that,” Corrales said. “I think my horse just got so distracted. Going into the race, I thought my horse was in the best shape, and best form. Did I expect him to run that badly? No, but you can’t control Mother Nature.”
Corrales gave credit to jockey Victor Espinoza for not taking winner American Pharoah off the lead. Corrales believes as soon as Bodhisattva got dirt in his face, “he never came back again.”
Bodhisattva came out of the Preakness in good shape, Corrales added, and is being pointed toward the $500,000 Ohio Derby at ThistleDown June 9 and the $75,000 Manitoba Derby August 3 at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg.
“I was (in Manitoba) last year and had a really good experience,” Corrales said. “A lot of people don’t want to take a chance to go to a small place like that.”
Talk Show Man Preparing For Summer Campaign
Henry S. Clark Stakes winner Talk Show Man will likely have his first work this weekend since finishing 11th in the Longines Dixie Stakes (G2) on Preakness Day.
The Maryland-bred son of Great Notion, who won the Maryland Million Turf Stakes last year, prompted the pace in the Dixie before fading down the stretch.
“I know we were in a tough spot,” said trainer Hamilton Smith. “I’m not saying he would have beaten those horses by any means, but I thought we could have made an earlier move. (Jockey Xavier) Perez had the horse in perfect position on the backside. What I thought he did wrong was sit on him. He should never have let the horses come to him like that. I think he just likes to be a little further off the pace than where he was and make his run.”
Smith said he’s looking at an allowance race on the turf June 5 at Pimlico. “I might try to give him an easier spot to get his confidence back,” he said. “If that (race) doesn’t go, maybe a little overnight stakes at Delaware (Park). He can run on either surface. I just think he’s a better horse on the turf.”
