Talkin may announce presence in G2 Remsen

Trainer Danny Gargan sends out Grade 1-placed Talkin as he seeks his third victory in the past four runnings of Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen, a nine-furlong test for juveniles, at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

The Remsen awards the top-five finishers with 10-5-3-2-1 qualifying points, respectively, towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs.

Gargan captured the 2022 Remsen with Dubyuhnell and defended his title in 2023 with Dornoch, both sons of Good Magic, similar to this year’s contender Talkin. Dornoch battled back in the lane to defeat Sierra Leone by a nose and capture the Remsen en route to future wins in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, the Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. 

“I liked Good Magic as a racehorse,” said Gargan. “I took a shot on him as a sire. We are just always looking for dirt horses that go long, that’s what he is, and what we’re trying to buy. Yes, we want to try to win Classic races, we’ve gotten lucky and won one of them. This horse has a big pedigree and a nice family.”

Talkin, a Good Magic bay owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Pine Racing Stables, Legendary Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding, and R. A. Hill Stable, has made two career starts. He captured his seven-furlong debut by a neck on August 30 at Saratoga Race Course, besting $1.3 million 2-year-old purchase Stradale as well as subsequent 20-length maiden winner and Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club-victor Further Ado.

“He beat a good bunch there,” Gargan said. “We’ve been waiting to run two turns. We want to see a strong performance going long to set him up for next year.” 

Talkin [post 11, Kendrick Carmouche] exited his win to try the one-turn mile Grade 1 Champagne on October 4 here, where he traveled four lengths off the pace in seventh early under returning pilot Kendrick Carmouche and closed for a 6 1/2-length second to the runaway pacesetter Napoleon Solo. Talkin, who picked up five Kentucky Derby qualifying points in defeat, will now try two turns for the first time. 

“He was in a good spot in the Champagne, then the horses kind of shuffled him back,” Gargan said. “He went over to the rail, and a horse went in front of him there, so he went back outside, and Kendrick said, ‘by the time he was in position to get running, the race was over.’ One of those things where speed was going and he just got shuffled out of it, but that’s the way it goes– still second in a Grade 1, got five Derby points and we move on, pleased with that.” 

Bred in Kentucky by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, Talkin, a $600,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the winning Tiznow mare Rote, a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Magnificent Song, dual group/graded-placed Great Barrier Reef and Galileo’s Song. His second dam, Song to Remember, is a half-sister to dual graded-winner Lech and Grade 3-winner Savina. 

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant, Brook T. Smith and breeder Summer Wind Equine’s Paladin [post 2, Flavien Prat] was elevated to victory over returning rival Renegade in his one-turn mile debut on October 17 here. 

Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the Gun Runner chestnut tracked the pace from a close-up fourth position, had the jump on Renegade late, but that rival rallied up the inside to cross the wire a head in front and was subsequently disqualified following a stewards’ inquiry concerning the final sixteenth. 

“I thought he ran really well,” Brown said. “He ran a really good race and got herded late, and I was happy that he got put up. Once he felt that other horse and straightened out again, he galloped out really well. I don’t think the added distance will be a problem. He’s done really well since the race.”

Paladin, a $1.9 million purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, is out of the Tapit mare Secret Sigh, a half-sister to dual Group 1-winner Mozu Ascot and stakes-winner Kareena. His second dam is dual graded-winner India. 

“This horse always acted that way,” Brown said of routing two turns. “He was an expensive yearling who was a beauty, and that hasn’t changed. He’s really grown into himself and he looks magnificent right now. I think he has a bright future ahead of him.”

Hall of Fame-trainer Todd Pletcher has entered the aforementioned Renegade [post 9, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], the well-related Courting [post 6, John Velazquez], and the maiden Grittiness [post 4, Jaime Rodriguez, blinkers ON], as he seeks a record-equaling fourth Remsen score, most recently winning with future Grade 1 Belmont Stakes-winner Mo Donegal in 2021. 

Renegade, owned by Repole Stable and his breeders Robert Low and Lawana Low, is still a maiden following his second-out disqualification. The Into Mischief bay was previously a distant third to dominant winner It’s Our Time in his 6 1/2-furlong debut on August 16 at Saratoga. 

Renegade, a $975,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the Grade 3-winning Curlin mare Spice Is Nice. His second dam is Grade 1-winner Dame Dorothy, a half-sister to Group 1-winner Mrs. Lindsay. 

Whisper Hill Farm, breeder Stonestreet Stables and Windancer Farm’s Courting was a $5 million purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The Curlin chestnut is a full-brother to multiple Grade 1-winner Clairiere out of the multiple Grade 1-winning Bernardini mare Cavorting. His second dam is dual Grade 1-placed Promenade Girl.

Courting has made his two efforts locally going a one-turn mile, setting the pace to graduate second-out by 2 1/2 lengths over Grittiness on November 9. He was previously a 2 1/4-length fourth in his September 27 debut to returning rival Igniter. 

Repole Stable’s Grittiness was making his third start last out when second to Courting after being bumped at the break. The Curlin chestnut was sixth twice over the summer in maiden special weight sprints at Saratoga. Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Grittiness, a $575,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the Grade 2-winning Oxbow mare Coach Rocks. 

Rounding out the field are stakes-winners Balboa [post 10, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] for trainer Brittany Russell and Probably Dreaming [post 12, Carlos Lopez] for conditioner Gary Capuano; stakes-placed Day One Starter [post 1, Junior Alvarado] for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey; as well as maiden-winners Igniter [post 7, Manny Franco] for trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr., I Did I Did [post 3, Joel Rosario] for trainer Mike Maker, Concarneau [post 8, Mychel Sanchez] for trainer Marya Montoya and Chambersville [post 5, Chris Elliott] for trainer Ken McPeek. 

The Remsen is slated as Race 9 on Saturday’s 11-race card, which also features the Grade 2 Cigar Mile [Race 10], the Grade 2 Demoiselle [Race 3], which awards the top-five finishers with 10-5-3-2-1 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Oaks, and the Grade 3 Elite Power [Race 5]. The card includes the $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way [Race 11] and the $500,000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue [Race 8]. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern. 

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

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