Sushi Man has stakes options at Hawthorne Race Course, Kentucky Downs, and his base of Canterbury Park after winning his third consecutive race last Saturday night in the $75,000 Minnesota Derby.
Trainer Coty Rosin said the next course of action for the horse will be determined in about two weeks, after Sushi Man works back and discussions are held with his owner and breeder, One Bid Stable. Rosin said Sushi Man could await a start in the $150,000 Hawthorne Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf Oct. 5 or run back Sept. 6 in either the $2 million Gun Runner for 3-year-olds at a mile at Kentucky Downs or the Blair’s Cove, a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance against Minnesota-breds in which he would face older horses at Canterbury.
Sushi Man won on dirt in the Minnesota Derby. Prior to that, he won a maiden special weight and the Canterbury Park Derby on turf by a combined margin of 16 1/2 lengths. He’s used his speed to dominate on turf but showed grit last week when he came back for a neck win in the Minnesota Derby.
“It was a little too close for comfort, but now that it’s all said and done, it was an exciting race,” Rosin said. “I was happy to see him with the heart and the resilience. I wasn’t sure about that. He had won his previous two races in such easy fashion.
“Sometimes horses, they get into bit of a fight and they just fold. He looked dead in the water at the top of the stretch and it was really nice to see him gut it out. I thought that was pretty impressive on his part. I thought he had every opportunity to fold, and he didn’t.”
Rosin also said the track was laboring after rains left the surface rated good.
“He was a bit tired out of the race, but he looks good,” he said.
Rosin said the Gun Runner is an “outside chance” for Sushi Man, noting that the unique course at Kentucky Downs is one reason the race is an option.
“It’s such an X factor,” Rosin said. “Sometimes a horse you couldn’t beat on a traditional oval, they don’t take to it. He will be nominated. Obviously, that’s the real, real deep end of the pool.”
Sushi Man ran on dirt last time because of the opportunity with fellow Minnesota-breds at home at Canterbury. Rosin believes he’s a better horse on the grass and plans were to return to the surface after the Minnesota Derby.
“I think the best is yet to be seen from him,” said Rosin.
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