Trinniberg got loose on the lead and never looked back in the $250,000 Bay Shore (gr. III) (VIDEO) at Aqueduct Racetrack April 7, going on to a three-length victory over Hardened Wildcat to register his second straight graded stakes score.
Sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the field of eight 3-year-olds, the son of Teuflesberg rolled through an opening quarter-mile in :23.46 and a half in :47.41, and was never seriously threatened as he hit the wire in 1:23.46 for the seven furlongs.
“You should never be too confident going into a race,” said winning jockey Willie Martinez. “It’s horse racing, anything can happen, but I was overwhelmed with confidence. Once I cleared the chute, I knew it was all over. I was just trying to be the passenger. He’s the pilot.”
The victory was the third in seven starts for Trinniberg, who broke his maiden at Calder Casino & Race Course last June and won the Swale (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park on March 10 by six lengths. The colt also had a pair of second-place finishes last year in the Futurity (gr. II) at Belmont Park and the Three Chimneys Hopeful (gr. I).
Trained by Bisnath Parboo for Shivananda Racing, Trinniberg returned $4.70, $3, and $2.40. With the winner’s purse of $150,000, he has now earned $341,300.
Winning owner Shivananda Parbhoo said the May 19 Preakness (gr. I) was the most likely target for Trinniberg, but did not rule out the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
“There’s a 15% chance for the Kentucky Derby,” said Parbhoo. “I want to go long. I wanted to do that (in the Wood Memorial) but I don’t think he was ready.”
Hardened Wildcat, the second choice at 3-2, was 5 1/2 lengths clear of third-place How Do I Win.
The winner was bred by J M Stables and is out of the Goldminers Gold mare Bella Dorato.