Twin Creeks Racing Stables has announced that Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners has acquired a minority interest in Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner and Kentucky Derby (G1) contender Destin.
“We are excited to partner with Aron (Wellman) and Brian (Spearman) and their racing partners on Destin,” said Twin Creeks Racing Stables’ Randy Gullatt. “Twin Creeks and Eclipse have both been in the same barn with Todd (Pletcher) for a long time, so there is familiarity and a comfort level working with Eclipse. I have great confidence it will be a good team, and we’re all now just looking forward to the Kentucky Derby.”
Aron Wellman, Eclipse President, added, “We are honored to team up with Randy (Gullatt) and Steve (Davison) of Twin Creeks to partner on Destin. The Twin Creeks team and Todd have done an exceptional job of developing and managing Destin. He has exhibited brilliance in his pair of Graded stakes wins, and Destin is a fast and progressive colt. We are certainly bullish on his prospects for the Kentucky Derby, but equally as excited about the long-term vision we share with Twin Creeks for Destin’s racing future. We are proud to be associated with a colt of this caliber.”
Destin became a contender for the upcoming Kentucky Derby (G1) after back-to-back wins in the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) and $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2). In the latter, the gray colt defeated stablemate and next-out Wood Memorial (G1) winner Outwork with a track-record-setting performance in 1:42.82. Aside from the track record, he also bettered Street Sense’s previous stakes record of 1:43.11 set in the 2007 Tampa Bay Derby.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Destin breezed five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 last Saturday at Palm Beach Downs, and was flown to Louisville Monday where he arrived at Churchill Downs. Tuesday, Destin trained over the local track for the first time, and, pending the weather, he is scheduled to have his final breeze for the Derby this coming Saturday. Javier Castellano, who guided Destin to victory in the Tampa Bay Derby, is committed to ride in the Kentucky Derby.
Purchased by Twin Creeks as a yearling for $400,000 at the Keeneland September sale, Destin began his career last fall as a 2-year-old with a debut maiden victory at Belmont. The colt owns three wins from five starts, with earnings of $390,700 to date. By Giant’s Causeway, Destin is out of Grade 1 winner and Grade 1 producer Dream of Summer, making him a full brother to Creative Cause.
Twin Creeks has been represented by a pair of Kentucky Derby starters, including Mission Impazible in 2010 and Vinceremos in 2014. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners finished 3rd in the 2014 Kentucky Derby with Danza.
