Allied Racing Stable’s Mr. Money ran himself to millionaire status on August 3 when he notched his fourth consecutive graded stakes victory in the $500,000 West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack Resort.
The 3-year-old Goldencents colt entered the Saturday feature off victories in the May 4 Pat Day Mile Stakes (G3), the June 15 Matt Winn Stakes (G3), and the July 13 Indiana Derby (G3).
After opting for the West Virginia Derby over the Aug. 24 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, trainer Bret Calhoun has the Sept. 21 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing under consideration.
“It’s a good possibility,” Calhoun said. “That’s definitely where we are hoping to be.”
Mr. Money, bet down to the 1-2 favorite in the West Virginia Derby, was paired with his regular jockey, Gabriel Saez, for the 1 1/8-mile event. Saez settled Mr. Money to the outside of Plus Que Parfait after an uneventful break. Plus Que Parfait, who returned to the dirt after a sixth-place finish in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park, set easy fractions of :24.42 and :49.10 through the first half-mile.
As the field approached the three-eighths pole, Mr. Money had his head in front to run three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.99 before opening on the field. Taking the two path in the open stretch, Mr. Money won as he pleased, getting a mile in 1:37.47 before hitting the wire in 1:50.28 on a fast track.
“(Calhoun) has done a tremendous job with him, and my job was to find the winner’s circle,” Saez said. “On the final turn, I asked him to get it done, and here we are. Good horses make you look good.”
Allied Racing Stable’s Chester Thomas said he hopes bigger and better things are ahead.
“Bret has done a great job, and from what I could see, Gabe did a wonderful job getting him to relax (through slow fractions),” Thomas said. “I knew he was sitting on a lot of horse when he let him loose. What we saw on paper became reality.”
Six lengths back was 35-1 shot Chess Chief, followed by Plus Que Parfait, Top Line Growth, Chilly in Charge, Math Wizard, Fluminense, Conative, and Cornstarch.
Mr. Money has earned $1,074,220 from a 5-2-0 record in 10 starts.
“He’s a very good horse, and Chester has allowed me to manage him in a good way to keep his confidence level up,” Calhoun said.
Bred in Kentucky by Spruce Lane Farm, Mr. Money is from the first crop out Goldencents and is the second foal out of the Tiznow mare Plenty O’Toole. The colt was foaled atHidden Brook Farm in Paris, Kentuckyand sold privately to Peter O’Callaghan. Allied Racing purchased Mr. Money from O’Callaghan’s Woods Edge Farm consignment at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Mr. Money is among three weekend stakes winners foaled at Hidden Brook along with Sorrento S. (G2) heroine Amalfi Sunrise and Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf S. winner Kallio.
– edited from www.bloodhorse.com
