Parsard hunts another special win

After sweeping Saturday’s Sir Howard and Hot Line Stakes with FATHER PATRICK and LADY BLUE, respectively, Omar Walker is aboard another impressive-looking three-year-old this afternoon – Ian Parsard’s KINGSMAN, who arrived here in-utero and blazed five and a half furlongs in 1:06.3 last Thursday morning after galloping seven furlongs in 1:30.4 the previous Monday.

After watching unbeaten FATHER PATRICK clock a solid 1:12.0 for six furlongs in the Sir Howard, Parsard is anticipating a big run from KINGSMAN at six and a half furlongs but wasn’t ready to call any shots before his charge showed his worth. Bred Discreetly Mine-Feasibility Study, out of 1999 Belmont Stakes winner, Lemon Drop Kid, KINGSMAN has sparkled at exercise, but Parsard said he wants to see what the bay colt does on race-day.

“I like to see them do it on the race-day. Before that, it’s potential. When they do it on raceday, you know you have a special horse,” he pointed out.

KINGSMAN, he said, “represents some significant investment the family made three years ago by importing pregnant mares”.

“He is one of two offsprings we kept from that batch. He is a May colt, so he is late. For him, we had to wait an inordinately long time. Clearly, he has potential, but I will wait until race-day before I make any further comment,” he said.

Meanwhile, Walker’s Guineas outlook could become even more complicated with KINGSMAN’s debut. The six-time former champion jockey swept Saturday’s feature races, the Sir Howard, followed by the ‘Lindy’ Delapenha Memorial and Hot Line Stakes for Wayne DaCosta, setting up a four-timer for his mainstay and 18-time champion trainer.

Amid his windfall, Walker must be closely monitoring the progress of DaCosta’s Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes winner, RUN THATCHER RUN, who is on the rebound from a mid-January setback. RUN THATCHER RUN is on his second week of trotting, recovering since January 12, when he last galloped, 1:06.3 for five and a half furlongs at exercise.

Parsard is aware of the relationship between DaCosta and Walker, a team that individually broke the record for most races won by a jockey and trainer in a single season before a famous bust-up made them part ways for three years, reuniting in 2015, resulting in two Diamond Mile victories, a Triple Crown and a Superstakes win.

As such, he is keeping his options open while preparing his horses for Guineas weekend, starting Saturday, April 13 with the 1000 Guineas and Sunday when the boys square off in the 2000, both at a mile.

“It always gets interesting with the riders around classic time,” Parsard said. “First, the important thing is to get the horses qualified. Omar has always worked very well me. In fact, he rode my first winner as a trainer, and we have always had a very good relationship since, personally and professionally. However, I am keeping my options open with several jockeys because I think we could have a couple horses for the Guineas races,” he added.