Senior Investment returns to dirt for G3 Discovery

by Najja Thompson

Set to make his first start since finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby, Fern Circle Stable's Senior Investment will headline a field of six in the Grade 3, $200,000 Discovery for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

One of three stakes races on the card, the Discovery will be joined by inaugural running of the $125,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs and the $150,000 Forever Together for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

By Discreetly Mine, Senior Investment has two wins from eight starts with one third-place finish this year. Under the care of trainer Kenny McPeek, Senior Investment broke his maiden in his fourth career start as a 2-year-old at Fair Grounds. Kicking off his 3-year-old campaign with back-to-back victories in optional-claiming races at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park, he stepped up to stakes competition finishing sixth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. In his second stakes try, Senior Investment upset the Grade 3 Lexington at odds of 11-1 and went on to finish third in the Grade 1 Preakness before running fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

He switched to the turf this summer, finishing 10th in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby and followed with a fourth-place finish in the Ontario Derby on October 15 over the Tapeta course at Woodbine.

"His year has been really solid overall outside of the Belmont Derby," said McPeek. "We just wanted to try him on the turf, but he's done everything right and been a solid 3-year-old. He's run well previously on the dirt and he's shown plenty of ability such as his effort in the Lexington. He does usually come from off the pace and his running style is his running style so we'll let Jose Ortiz figure him out. He's been training into this well and we're looking forward to running to build towards the future going towards a 4-year-old campaign."

Ortiz will ride from post 4.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will enter two horses with True Timber for Calumet Farm and Spieth for Godolphin Racing. A son of Mineshaft, True Timber has yet to reach the winner's circle this year but has a pair of second and third place finishes from seven starts. He will stretch out in distance for the Discovery coming off a second-place running on October 13 at Belmont Park in an allowance race. Previously, he ran third in the Sir Barton on May 20 at Pimlico. A gray colt by Bernardini, Speith broke his maiden in impressive fashion on August 16 at Saratoga Race Course, winning by 6 ¼ lengths to record a 91 Beyer Speed Figure. He followed up to run third in an allowance race on September 16 at Belmont Park and most recently ran second on November 4 at Aqueduct.

With Luis Saez aboard, True Timber will leave from post 3. Speith will leave from the rail with Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons.

Rounding out the field is Bonus Points for Three Diamonds Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher. The Majestic Warrior colt enters the Discovery off a victory in the Maryland Million Classic on October 21 at Laurel Park. Can You Diggit is also entered for Chester and Mary Broman and trainer Jimmy Jerkens.