The 2¾-length victory by Musical Flair
in the five-furlong Turf Dash Stakes at Calder Race Course on August 27
gave his connections the confidence to send him to Keeneland, where he
will make his next start in Sunday’s $150,000 Bourbon (G3). The 1
1/16-mile turf race for 2-year-olds has been won by such horses as
eventual champion Gio Ponti and eventual Grade 2 winner Interactif.
Kathleen
Amaya and Raffaele Centofanti own Musical Flair, a colt by
Songandaprayer who is trained by Sal Santoro. The colt arrived at
Keeneland two days ago and has been feeling good in the cool fall
weather, said exercise rider Luis Cordero.
“He
likes it here. It’s green,” Cordero said on Monday while walking
Musical Flair after his bath. The colt tugged at the lead in an attempt
to attempt to reach grass, but Cordero maintained a firm hold and
reassured him, “It’s not going anywhere.”
Last
year, Cordero was the exercise rider for undefeated Awesome Feather,
who began her career at Calder, won the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs and was named the champion
2-year-old filly. His cousin is Racing Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero
Jr., who brought him to the United States from Puerto Rico in 1979.
Luis Cordero began working in New York as a hot walker for Hall of Fame
trainer Laz Barrera, and he rode for time.
On
Monday, Cordero galloped Musical Flair two miles over the main track
and said the colt is handling the Polytrack well. He said Jesus Rios,
who has ridden Musical Flair in his last two races, will be aboard in
the Bourbon. Entries for the race will be drawn on Thursday.