Trainer Paulo Lobo's barn only picked up steam as the year skidded to an end. The conditioner picked up his first Turfway Park Holiday Meet training title in a month full of exciting runners for the stable. Veteran In Love, winner of the 2021 Keeneland Turf Mile Stakes (G1T), ended his 6-year-old campaign with a victory in the Dec. 17 Prairie Bayou Stakes and the barn had an array of impressive 2-year-old winners that could be Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders come spring.
"The beginning of the second semester (of the year) I could see my horses were starting to put it all together," Lobo said. "We had a very good Kentucky Downs meet, a very good Keeneland meet, Churchill Downs was OK, but I really felt coming into Turfway that I had a lot of horses with good chances to win. Everything just came together at the right time."
Lobo said In Love "loved the Tapeta" and would likely resurface in another stakes at Turfway Park later in the month.
Watch: Lobo Discusses Recent Turfway Winners
Among Lobo's juvenile winners at Turfway are the OXO Equine-owned Bromley and Itzos.
"I hope I can put them on the Derby trail," Lobo said. "We're probably going to have some good fun this spring. We'll probably send one of them south to run either at Fair Grounds or Gulfstream."
Bromley, a newly-minted 3-year-old son of Mastery, remains a perfect 2-for-2 after annexing a Dec. 28 allowance optional claiming contest at Turfway. A $450,000 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale weanling purchase, Bromley scored in his debut at Churchill Downs. Although he's never run further than 6 1/2-furlongs, Lobo is keen to try the colt around two turns.
Itzos, a Bolt d'Oro half brother to 2009 Horse of the Year and super filly Rachel Alexandra, will also look to go on the Derby trail after his Dec. 29 maiden special weight win second time out.
While barn favorite and multiple grade 1 winner Ivar did not compete at the recent Turfway meet, Lobo has his sights set on the Jan. 28 $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1T) at Gulfstream Park for the 7-year-old's next start.
Ivar most recently finished a gallant fourth, a length behind the victorious Modern Games, in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Keeneland. It was the third Breeders' Cup Mile appearance for the son of Agnes Gold, who was third in the 2021 edition and fourth in 2020.
An earner of over $1.4 million, Ivar returned to the work tab and has turned in three breezes since Dec. 12, including a half-mile in :48 2/5 Dec. 20 at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, the second-fastest of 42 works that day.
