Noseda ready for Awesome test
Jeremy Noseda hopes Awesome Act won't fluff his lines as he plans an audacious bid for the Kentucky Derby.
Having finished a close-up fourth to Pounced in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita in November, the Newmarket trainer will bid to win America's most prestigious race on 1 May at Churchill Downs.
Noseda said: "We are all set to ship him to America. He flies out on Friday 26 February and will run in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday 6 March. That will be the litmus test and will define what the plan is. The long-term goal is to end up in the Kentucky Derby."
The trainer is no stranger to success in the United States, having saddled Wilko to win the valuable Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Lone Star Park in 2004.
Noseda added: "Awesome Act has a lot of hurdles to overcome. If all goes well in the Gotham, he'll stay in America and we'll look to run him in the Wood Memorial Stakes back at Aqueduct on 10 April.
"He'll then complete his training at Keeneland, with one of two top-flight trainers whom I have connections with for many years.
"But how he performs in the Gotham Stakes on the dirt will tell us if we are going in the right direction. If we are, all roads will hopefully lead to Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May."
