|03.09.202303.09.2023|8:47pm8:53pm
Violence colt Raise Cain and Jose Lezcano following their win in the G3 Gotham
Trainer Ben Colebrook can be forgiven if he wasn’t in the Aqueduct winner’s circle following last week’s Gotham Stakes victory by Andrew and Rania Warren’s Raise Cain, a Violence colt who rallied from off the pace on a sloppy track to win by 7 1/2 lengths at 23-1 odds. With the win, Raise Cain earned 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, virtually assuring him a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May.
Colebrook, who saddled Raise Cain and gave jockey Jose Lezcano a leg up, watched the race in an Uber en route to nearby Kennedy International Airport for a flight to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport and a short drive to Turfway Park to saddle Scoobie Quando in another Derby prep that night, the John Battaglia Memorial.
Scoobie Quando, an Uncle Mo colt also owned by the Warrens, ran well over the Tapeta synthetic surface but could do no better than finish second to Congruent under jockey Luan Machado – earning eight points. To qualify for the Derby, he’ll likely need to come back with a top three finish in the March 25 Jeff Ruby at Turfway, where the stakes will be much higher: 100 points to the winner, 40 to second, 30 to third, 20 to fourth and 10 to fifth.
Colebrook, a former Christophe Clement and Fred Seitz assistant who took out his trainer’s license in 2012, is looking forward to his first Kentucky Derby starter – and maybe even two in the same year.
Colebrook joins Ray Paulick and bloodstock editor Joe Nevills on this week’s Friday Show to talk about his big day at Aqueduct and Turfway, and what’s down the road for both Raise Cain and Scoobie Quando.
Watch this week’s episode of the Friday Show below:
