by Jeff Lowe

Gotham Stakes (G3) winner Visionaire most likely will use the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on April 12 as his final prep for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), although the Illinois Derby (G2) on April 5 is a possible alternative.

Visionaire registered his first stakes victory in the Gotham at Aqueduct for owners Team Valor International and Vision Racing.

“If he bounces back quickly, maybe it would make more sense to run him in the Illinois Derby, which gives him four weeks between races for both of his next two races,” trainer Michael Matz said. “Let’s see how the colt acts in the coming weeks.”

Visionaire has returned to Matz’s winter base at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida.

“I am giving him some easy days,” Matz said. “He’s been back under tack Thursday and Friday. I had him take a trail ride that is available here at Palm Meadows. Next week he will go back to the track and start galloping.

“I am very happy with the way he has come out of the Gotham. We were a bit concerned because the track was very wet and the horses were going right down to the base. Plus [jockey] Jose Lezcano told me the colt was not getting a hold of the track for the first part of it. But he looks fine to me so far.”

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer