Derby Dozen: Mohaymen a pricey purchase who could be a bargain

Four starts into his career, Mohaymen is exactly who owner Shadwell Stable thought he was.

Horses who are seven-figure darlings in the sales rings often struggle to produce the on-track goods to back up their price. As the $2.2 million co-sale topper of the 2014 Keeneland September yearling auction, Mohaymen is on his way to becoming an exception to that rule.

A son of leading sire Tapit, Mohaymen is unbeaten in four career starts with three of those victories coming in graded stakes company. His wins in the Grade II Nashua and Remsen Stakes last year showed he could overcome a less-than-sharp break and handle being in tight inside without any of it taking away from his turn of foot. His 2016 debut in the Grade II Holy Bull more than justified his 1-to-5 favoritism as he sat just off a tepid early pace but made his move into faster internal fractions.

When Mohaymen crossed the wire 3 1/2 lengths in front in the Holy Bull, he had the look of a horse with a lot more to give — which trainer Kiaran McLaughlin says has been his trademark. He has speed, stamina and the ability to make his own luck.

Owner: Shadwell Stable

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Breeder: Clearsky Farms

Bloodline: Gray/roan colt by Tapit-Justwhistledixie, by Dixie Union

Career record: Four starts, 4-0-0, $559,830

Last start: Won Grade II Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 30

Next start: Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 27

Potential trouble: He’s fighting history as much as anything at this point. The last Remsen Stakes winner to even hit the board in the first leg of the Triple Crown was Bluegrass Cat, who finished second in the 2006 Kentucky Derby.

This story was originally published February 13, 2016 at 10:12 PM with the headline "Derby Dozen: Mohaymen a pricey purchase who could be a bargain."