Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Instant Coffee

Jan 02, 2023 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Gold Square LLC’s Instant Coffee earned 10 points in the 2023 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series after recording a 1 1/4-length tally in the $399,625 Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 26. The winner finished off 1 1/16 miles on the fast main strip in 1:45.25 with Luis Saez in the stirrups.

“He broke a little bit slow today so we got behind the pace,” Saez said. “I was a little worried because they weren’t really going fast at all up front and I was pretty wide. I could tell around the far turn my horse was trying very hard and I was very confident in him. We were able to make a big run into the lane and he kept finding more. He’s a young horse who’s just getting started and figuring things out.”

The dark bay colt was bred in Kentucky by Sagamore Farm and was secured by a
final bid of $200,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
He is the first black-type winner produced from the stakes placed Uncle
Mo mare Follow No One, who counts herself as a half-sister to Grade 3
heroine Nootka Sound.

Trained by Brad Cox, Instant Coffee debuted on Sept. 3 at Saratoga and rallied in the stretch to post a late-running victory. Sent to Keeneland for his second assignment, the son of Bolt d’Oro got off slowly but closed fairly well to be fourth in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) on Oct. 8.

Instant Coffee earned Brisnet Speed figures of 90-88-84 from his first three career races, and his 105 Brisnet Late Pace number in his win at Churchill last time out hints that he will be capable of handling extra distance going forward.