Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Nevada wins debut over one mile
Nevada breaks his maiden at Belmont Park. (Photo by Coglianese Photos/Nina Haviland)
Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown is compiling a strong roster of contenders for the 2027 Kentucky Derby (G1).
Already, Brown has Champagne (G1) runner-up Gaudreau and promising maiden winners Card Man and Inalienable in his barn. We can add Nevada to the list, as the well-bred bay colt delivered an eye-catching debut victory at Belmont Park last Friday.
Nevada
Purchased for $1 million as a yearling, Nevada is a son of 2010 champion two-year-old male Uncle Mo, the sire of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and 2022 Belmont (G1) conqueror Mo Donegal. Nevada’s dam is Full Tap, a daughter of Tapit, who has sired 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline plus Belmont winners Tonalist, Creator, Tapwrit, and Essential Quality.
This is a pedigree geared strongly toward success over classic distances, so it wasn’t surprising to see Nevada shine when debuting over one mile in a Belmont Park maiden special weight. With two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat in the saddle, Nevada settled near the back of the pack through fast splits of :22.91 and :45.73, then launched a steady rally to take command and score by two lengths in 1:36.47.
With this promising debut under his belt, Nevada's future looks bright. The Daily Racing Form reports the Dec. 5 Remsen (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby will mark Nevada’s next start.
Neuro Fighter
Halfway around the world in Japan, Neuro Fighter—a son of 2021 Metropolitan H. (G1) winner Silver State—impressed in a maiden event racing 1,600 meters (about one mile) on Saturday at Tokyo Racecourse.
Neuro Fighter failed to finish better than third in his first three turf starts, but switching to dirt at Tokyo triggered a big step forward. The Yusuke Wada trainee rated behind metric fractions of :23.6 and 48.4, then launched a powerful finish to dominate by five lengths.
Neuro Fighter clocked his final 600 meters (about three furlongs) in :36.0, the fastest closing split in the 12-horse field by a full second. He reached the finish line in 1:37.8 and looks like a talented prospect with Japan Road-to-the-Kentucky Derby potential.
Decimation
Experience paid off for Decimation, who smashed a six-furlong maiden special weight on Saturday at Keeneland.
Decimation lost his first three starts at Churchill Downs and Saratoga, but in the process he finished behind quality rivals, including next-out Breeders’ Futurity (G1) third-place finisher Q B Rocket, future maiden winner Card Man, and eventual Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. winner How’s Al Today.
Decimation achieved his breakthrough victory in eye-catching fashion. He settled two lengths behind an opening quarter-mile in :22.64, advanced to lead through half a mile in :46.73, and powered clear down the homestretch to win by seven lengths in 1:11.75.
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen conditions the son of 2021 champion male sprinter Jackie’s Warrior.
When I Go
When I Go, a son of 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun, graduated fourth-time out in a seven-furlong maiden special weight for horses who brought a final bid of $65,000 or less at their most recent auction.
The race took place on Thursday at Keeneland. When I Go started at 7-1 off a distant third-place finish in his previous start at Churchill Downs, but the Eric Foster trainee took a nice step forward at Keeneland. He vied for command through fractions of :22.25 and :46.82 before drawing clear in the homestretch to win by 5 3/4 lengths in 1:24.94.
Arrival Time
A switch from turf to dirt helped Arrival Time break his maiden on Sunday at Keeneland.
Coming off a fifth-place finish in his debut on turf, Arrival Time started as the 2-1 favorite in an off-the-turf maiden special weight over 1 1/16 miles, and the result was a decisive victory. The Steve Asmussen-trained son of Not This Time pressed and eventually led through slow fractions of :24.56, :50.04, and 1:15.90, then pulled away down the lane to triumph by three lengths in 1:48.12.
