Horse To Watch | Praetor Derby Dreaming after Gulfstream Park Romp?

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – William Lawrence, CHP Racing and Gainesway Stable’s Praetor rolled to an eye-catching 7 ½-length victory in Sunday’s featured optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park while keeping his owners’ Derby dreams very much alive.

The Chad Brown-trained 3-year-old colt was making his first start since defeating this year’s Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Sovereignty by a neck in a September maiden special weight race at Aqueduct.

“He showed a lot of class as a 2-year-old, and I know Chad wanted to continue to race him, but he had a little issue and stopped on him. He got him back going and hopefully he’s got enough time to make it to the first weekend in May,” said Phil Hatfield, who operates CHP Racing with his wife Christine. “It’s going to be tight. He beat Sovereignty last year, so it’s going to be fun. It’ll be interesting to see where he goes. It’ll be up to Chad.”

The Triple Crown-nominated 2-5 favorite broke alertly from the starting gate in the one turn mile event carded as Race 9 on Sunday’s 10-race program and pressed pacesetter Bear Claw Necklace under a tight hold by Tyler Gaffalione. The son of Into Mischief took over on the far turn and before drawing clear to complete the mile in 1:36.59

“All the credit goes to Chad and his team. He came over and fired big today. He really never felt like he got out of second gear,” Gaffalione said. “He’s a big, strong, powerful horse. He’s got a long stride on him. It seems like he does things so easily. Most of the way, I was trying to keep his attention. His ears were going back and forth. He was looking around. He’s still very young and immature but there’s a lot of potential there.”

Praetor is out of Curlin’s Approval, a multiple-graded stakes winning daughter of Curlin who was based at Gulfstream 2016-2018 with owner/trainer Happy Alter, who bred Praetor with Bridlewood Farm.

“I actually got to ride her. I won a couple of stakes on her here,” said Gaffalione, who won the 2016 Added Elegance and the 2018 Ana T aboard Curlin’s Approval. “Happy saw me the other day and said, ‘You’re riding the baby boy.’ It was a very exciting win.”

Praetor, who was purchased for $725,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September sale, finished third over a muddy track at Saratoga in his debut prior to graduating in his next start and going to the sidelines.

“Chad’s been the driver of the whole thing. He got hurt last year and then Chad gave him some time off. He thought the horse was good enough, he liked him all along and thought that he would give him a chance,” Hatfield said. “He kind of had to push him a little bit to get here but what you saw today I think is what this horse is all about.”