Turf Will Have To Wait: Kimmel Pointing The Reds Toward Ohio Derby
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The Reds, shown leaving the maiden ranks at Aqueduct on Jan. 31
While The Reds didn't quite knock one out of the park in Saturday's off-the-turf Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., trainer John Kimmel hopes to give the son of second crop-sire Tonalist a graded stakes win and said he is considering the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby on June 26 at JACK Thistledown in Ohio.
Owned by Flanagan Racing, The Reds arrived at the nine-furlong Pennine Ridge off a victory, via disqualification, in the Federico Tesio at Pimlico Race Course on April 24. Kimmel said he was hoping Saturday's test would be a prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational on July 10. But when inclement weather forced the race to the main track, he said that the chestnut colt's turf debut will likely have to wait.