My Mitole Could Step Onto Kentucky Derby Trail For Carlos Martin!
- Jose Martin Jr.
- Feb 22
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 22
(Courtesy - The Paulick Report - February 16, 2023)
Trainer Carlos Martin figures the Mitole colt could make a quick return for the March 1 Gotham (G3) or perhaps wait for the Virginia Derby two weeks later, both races Kentucky Derby qualifiers.
My Mitole, who won a one-turn mile starter allowance on Friday at Aqueduct and earned a career-best 82 Beyer Speed Figure, might have earned a Kentucky Derby trail start, including in the $300,000 Gotham (G3) on March 1 here or the $500,000 Virginia Derby [now a dirt race] on March 15 at Colonial Downs.
Both the one-mile Gotham and the 1 1/8-mile Virginia Derby are Kentucky Derby qualifying events, each providing points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale toward starting eligibilty in the 1 1/4-mile classic May 2 at Churchill Downs.
“I thought today [Friday] was a good race," said Carlos Martin, who trains the Mitole colt for Half Hollow Stables LLC. "I’m not sure who was in there, but I’ll keep my options open and have him nominated to the Gotham and to the Virginia Derby, on March 15.
"He’s a horse that the distance doesn’t seem like [a problem],” Martin continued. “For a Mitole, he has more [broodmare sire] Seeking the Gold; he seems like he’ll go on and run a distance of ground.”
Martin said while the Gotham may be a bit quick back for My Mitole, he remembers that the late, great Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens was not afraid to capitalize on a horse’s current form.
“I’m going to keep my options open because he’s here, and when they are doing good Allen Jerkens always said that horses are unfortunately like strawberries, sometimes they’ll get rotten, and Jerkens was one of the greatest trainers,” Martin said. “Him and my grandfather [Hall of Famer Frank 'Pancho Martin] back in the 70s and 80s were two of the best trainers, that era, those old school trainers, there’s something to be said for that… I’ll just go by the horse.”
Martin's father, Jose, was the trainer Groovy, the 1987 champion sprinter, along with two other Eclipse Award Champions.
Congrats Carlos.....great job with this horse, I'm the only one who had him in my plays that last race, tough field- Good luck coming up on the Derby Trail!