Gotham Stakes (G3) winner Deterministic is stabled at Payson Park in Florida, where trainer Christophe Clement will work him this weekend before finalizing plans for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Clement, a Hall of Fame finalist, says everything is in play for the 3-year-old son of Liam's Map , including the possibility of training up to the May 4 Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs.
The other options are a return to New York for the April 6 Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack or traveling to Kentucky for the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland on the same day. Staying in Florida for the March 30 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park is another possibility.
"He's doing great. He came out of his race in good shape. He's been filling out and galloping the last two days," Clement said March 12. "We're very happy with him and will breeze him this weekend and we'll see where are. All options are on the table."
Owned by St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Stable, Deterministic has 50 qualifying points, which figures to be enough to start in the 1 1/4-mile opening leg of the Triple Crown.
The March 2 Gotham Mile, which he won by two lengths, was just his second start and first since an Aug. 12 debut win in a seven-furlong race at Saratoga Race Course. He has yet to race around two turns. Out of the Speightstown mare Guilio's Jewel, he was bought for $625,000 from the consignment of breeder Hinkle Farms at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Clement also said grade 1-placed Big Invasion was fine after finishing a wide fourth in his March 9 debut in the Silks Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, the 5-year-old son of Declaration of Warwas seventh in the early stages of the five-furlong turf sprint and lost by 1 1/2 lengths. It was his first start since finishing second in the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T).
"He came out of the race great and is very sound. He had a lot to do in the race but finished well. We live to fight another day," Clement said.
Clement said Big Invasion will run in either the April 6 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland or the May 4 Turf Sprint (G2T) at Churchill Downs as a stepping stone to the June 8 Jaipur Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga.
The Jaipur will be contested at a shorter 5 1/2-furlong distance at the Spa. Previously at Belmont Park, it was a six-furlong test for older turf sprinters.
Bred by John O'Meara in Kentucky, Big Invasion is out of the Curlin mare Curls in Place. A winner of eight of 16 starts with earnings of $958,969, he sold for $72,000 from the Vinery Sales consignment at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
