Top Conor Aims to Prove Graded Status in Pat Day Mile

Flanagan Racing's Top Conor didn't find a path into the Kentucky Derby (G1) starting gate but he'll be out to prove he's a graded stakes-caliber colt all the same on Derby Day. What the son of Twirling Candy had done so far has been enough to earn the mantle of morning-line favorite in the May 4 $600,000 Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. Top Conor has been highly regarded since he was 2, blazing his way into the limelight with a :09 4/5 work for pinhooker and consignor Eddie Woods prior to the 2023 Ocala Breeders' March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. His under tack show performance helped drive his sale price to $1 million, with agent Jeff Mackor signing the ticket on behalf of Sean Flanagan. With trainer Chad Brown, Top Conor made his racing debut Feb. 17 at Gulfstream Park where he captured a one-mile maiden special weight by two lengths. He earned a shot in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, where he led the field for the first six furlongs in solid fractions of :23.15, :46.48, and 1:10.83 dogged all the way by Just a Touch. Top Conor got headed at the top of the stretch and gave way to finish sixth. Top Conor is anticipated to set the pace in the Pat Day Mile but could have company from Vlahos, a ridgling by Kantharos, who will be making his first start for trainer Doug O'Neill. Vlahos won his debut by 4 1/2 lengths March 9 at Santa Anita Park for trainer Luis Mendez and owner Dan Northrup. He won the 6 1/2-furlong race gate to wire in blazing fractions of :21.47, :43.69, and 1:09.21. The final time was 1:15.75 and earned the ridgling a 103 Equibase Speed Figure. Vlahos will break from post 11 and jockey Edwin Maldonado keeps the mount. Since Vlahos broke his maiden, Northrup picked up Ty Leatherman, Pappas Horse Racing, and Todd Cady as partners. The Pat Day Mile field also includes MyRacehorse's Seize the Grey, who could have been an also-eligible for the Kentucky Derby with 27 qualifying points. The gray/roan son of Arrogate was third in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) before finishing seventh in the Blue Grass Stakes. Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said he didn't expect to see many scratches from the Derby, so the Pat Day Mile was a more attractive option. "I think that's a good fit for him. I think (a one-turn mile) is more in his wheelhouse than the other one," he said. Seize the Grey will be ridden from post 5 by Jaime Torres, who was aboard for the colt's maiden win at Saratoga Race Course last July. Five stakes winners are entered in the Pat Day Mile: Hutcheson Stakes winner Beeline; 2023 Remington Springboard Mile Stakes winner Otto the Conqueror; Spectacular Bid Stakes (Laurel Park) winner Guanare; multiple Ohio-bred stakes winner Who Dey; and, Hot Springs Stakes winner Nash. Nash is a Godolphin homebred by Medaglia d'Oro and trained by Brad Cox. He finished second behind Kentucky Derby contender Track Phantom in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) before taking the Hot Springs at Oaklawn Park by 5 1/2 lengths. The 3-1 second choice in the morning line will be ridden from post 12 by Florent Geroux.