Now that the Breeders’ Cup JV races have been held we have a few upcoming early winter prep races that test the mettle of would-be spring Derby candidates.
The key of course being graded stakes races in order to get into the Derby
This weekend is the Grade 3 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct ($100k) on Sun Nov 2nd; then will be the $200k Remsen Stakes (Grade 2) Nov 29th also at Aqueduct and the (Grade 2) $250k Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes also Nov 29th at Churchill Downs.
One of the well known names entered into the Nashua Stakes - and working exceptionally well - is half-brother to Nobiz Like Shobiz, Hello Broadway with the same trainer and owner as Nobiz.
10-30-08 “Tagg says Hello Broadway training big”
Hello Broadway was a gritty neck winner of a seven-furlong maiden race at Saratoga, beating next-out winner Imperial Council. Hello Broadway jumped right into the Champagne, where he finished fifth, 9 1/2 lengths behind Vineyard Haven.
Trainer Barclay Tagg said there may have been a warning sign that Hello Broadway wasn’t going to fire his best effort when he did not train strongly the day before the race under exercise rider Simon Harris.
“Simon had gotten on him the day before and said he was very quiet,” Tagg said. “We took his temperature and he had no temperature, he ate up his dinner and all that kind of stuff. We saw no reason not to run him. We ran him and he just didn’t run his race.”
Tagg said that since the Champagne, Hello Broadway “has been a bear.”
Another solid and successful runner expected in the Nashua will be Break Water Edison who finished 2nd in a very solid effort in the Saratoga Special (G2) to Run Away and Hide.
