Mohaymen Travels Down 2016 Kentucky Derby Trail

Mohaymen Travels Down 2016 Kentucky Derby Trail: The Remsen Stakes is a strong prep race not only for the Triple Crown trail but also for successful careers. Horses such as Thunder Gulch, Pleasant Colony, Pine Bluff, and Honor Code have won the Grade II Remsen Stakes before going on to become highly successful racehorses. Thunder Gulch and Pleasant Colony went on to win two thirds of the Triple Crown, whereas Pine Bluff won the Preakness and Honor Code claimed the Met Mile-Whitney double in 2015.

This year, a full field lined up for the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct Race Course. However, there was only one who could win the race in impressive fashion. The winner, a $2.2 million yearling purchase for Shadwell, is named Mohaymen. The grey son of Tapit is now undefeated in three starts at age two and seemingly has a bright future ahead of him with a trajectory along the Kentucky Derby trail. With the win, Mohaymen received 10 points to use towards a potential start in the 2016 Kentucky Derby.

The colt was an expensive purchase, which seems to be paying off for his buyer. The colt, a half-brother to 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner New Years Day (Street Cry), is a son of the top stallion in North America. Tapit broke the single-year earnings record in 2014, previously set by Smart Strike. Thus far in 2015, Tapit has once again broken the single-year earnings record. Tapit will stand for a high price of $300,000 per live foal.

Mohaymen is regally bred as his dam Justwhistledixie was among the crop that was chasing around Rachel Alexandra. Justwhistledixie won five in a row before being declared out of the Kentucky Oaks, which was won in dominant fashion by Rachel Alexandra. After returning to the racetrack, Justwhistledixie did not win another race. She went to the farm and produced New Years Day, a longshot winner of the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile after breaking his maiden in his previous start.

Mohaymen is bred to be highly successful up to nine furlongs. Tapit has very few offspring who have won beyond that distance. Mohaymen is bred on the same cross as Coup De Grace (GII-winning sprinter), Frosted (GI winner at 9F), and Tapizar (GI BC Dirt winner). Mohaymen has already won a Grade II at nine furlongs. Can he keep going as the distances increase next year? His turn of foot in the final furlong of the Remsen brought him through that furlong in 12.18 seconds. Had he not been bottled up for the final three eighths before breaking free, how fast could he have gone?

Mohaymen Remesen Stakes 2016 Replay: