Mypanmar preps for CPD

Luck of the draw has meant little to Mypanmar. In fact, unluck of the draw is more like it, according to trainer Virgil Morgan Jr., who will be sending the 5 year old into Saturday’s C$933,000 Canadian Pacing Derby at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.

Last year, Morgan saw Mypanmar draw post six in both the Graduate and Breeders Crown finals, post 12 in the U.S. Pacing Championship, post eight in his Canadian Pacing Derby elimination race and post nine in his William Haughton Memorial elim. Mypanmar failed to advance to the final in both those cases. This season has been a little better, although he still drew post six in the Dan Patch Invitational final.

"I don’t think his earnings complement his speed," Morgan said, referring to the horse’s $400,071 in lifetime purses and 1:48.3 career mark. "He’s had a lot of bad luck in the draws for some of the major races. Some bad posts have killed us in five or six majors in the last year. It really wasn’t anybody’s fault; the speed is there. Hopefully, we can get that to equal out."

Mypanmar, driven by John Campbell, won his Canadian Pacing Derby elimination race on June 17 at Woodbine, beating Lis Mara by three-quarters of a length in 1:48.3. Casimir Camotion, who was third, also advanced to the CPD final. Primetime Bobcat, the even-money favorite, finished seventh.

"He came out of the race very well," Morgan said. "I think it’s a very competitive field. It’s going to come down to whoever gets the best trip. I don’t think anybody in there is going to bully anybody and be a huge favorite. Any time you race in one of the premier races with aged horses, it’s going to be competitive. Nothing is easy."

In addition to Mypanmar, elim winners were Hop Sing, who won the Dan Patch Invitational and Presidential final earlier this year, and Leading X Ample. Also advancing to the final was 2005 divisional champion Boulder Creek and Ponder.

Mypanmar, whose previous start was a seventh-place finish in the Graduate, was making his first start in nearly a month. It was his second layoff of the season – he took off six weeks from March into mid-April.

"The first time was by design; the last one was because he got a little sick," Morgan said about the breaks. "We were disappointed with his effort and wanted to give him a break so we could go into this one somewhat fresh. He’s fine now. We wouldn’t have brought him if he wasn’t healthy. John did an excellent job driving him, and by the result, it looks like the break didn’t bother him. [Owner] Bob Glazer is super that way. He always puts the horse first, which makes my job easier."

A son of The Panderosa out of the mare Road To Pandalay, the homebred Mypanmar still has a number of stakes, such as the Haughton, Breeders Crown and American-National, on his schedule.

"He’s got a full plate," Morgan said. "You just have to take it a week at a time, a day at a time. You need to look at the schedule for the big picture, but you don’t take anything for granted with these caliber horses. There are no do overs; these races only happen once a year. It’s not like a claimer, where next week they’ll be another claiming race for you. With the speed they’re going today, it takes a toll. You have to be prepared."

(HRC)

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