The Wild Again colt has finished second in both New York juvenile Grade I races to date this year, Saratoga's Hopeful and Belmont's Futurity.
"He worked good," trainer Stanley Hough said. "I wanted him to go easy."
Pretty Wild needed three starts to break his maiden, but finally did so going six furlongs in 1:11 at Belmont July 13. Off that five-length win, Hough boosted the colt to top stakes races where he performed admirably both times.
Chasing the pace in the Hopeful, Pretty Wild could not run with Sky Mesa late while drifting in the stretch. He made a bid for the lead at the top of the stretch in the Futurity, but was second best to Whywhywhy.
"He's still got some things to learn," Hough said. "He's run five times and when he gets around other horses he's still in and out a little bit. He doesn't really like to be crowded or down on the inside."
Pretty Wild does not wear blinkers in his races or morning works.
"We thought about blinkers," Hough said. "He's starting to relax a bit more. He's coming around the right way."
Hough thinks the 1 1/16-mile Champagne could be what his precocious colt needs.
"I don't think more distance would hurt him," Hough said. "He's bred top and bottom to go farther."
