Furio A First Derby Contender For Scott And Evan Dilworth

[Wandering Eyes]

Typically, Scott Dilworth, along with his wife Evan, are found on the other side of the ticket. Longtime successful pinhookers, they notably purchased a yearling son of Uncle Mo for $250,000 at KEESEP in 2021 only to sell him as a 2-year-old seven months later for a sales-topping $2,300,000 at OBS April. That colt, under the tutelage of Bob Baffert, became Arabian Knight, a Grade I winner who joined the roster at Hill 'n' Dale for his first season at stud this year.

Fast forward three years and it's a $400,000 son of McKinzie, who first caught Dilworth's eye as a weanling, who has the pair on the Road to the Kentucky Derby for the first time as Furio tackles Saturday's GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby.

“The first time I ever saw him, I saw driving up to the [Keeneland] November Sale,” Dilworth remembered. “I passed Barn 15 and they were showing horses. There were a whole bunch of horses out and I just spotted him. I stopped the car, got out and asked what number he was to keep him in my head. He was my favorite weanling in that sale. I chased him and he brought $300,000 and that was just too much for me to pinhook but I absolutely loved him. Then I saw that he was entered in the [Fasig-Tipton] Saratoga Sale and I thought, 'he's going to bring a ton of money up here' because I thought he was the best colt in the sale.”

Dilworth had to strike only a single bid on the son of 'TDN Rising Star' Take Charge Angel (Will Take Charge), herself a half to the late MGISW Cave Rock (Arrogate), taking him home for $400,000. And while pinhooking was always on the table, Dilworth knew that if the colt had potential, he'd wind up keeping him.

“I gave him to Raul Reyes at King's Equine,” said Dilworth. “I told Raul, 'train him like we're gonna wind up at a sale' but I remember thinking that I may end up keeping him if we think he's a true racehorse. And all along, I felt like he was a true racehorse.”

Furio made his racing debut at Churchill Downs for trainer Joe Sharp last September, leading the race as the favorite until the final eighth when he was caught and wound up third. After a few months off, he got things back on track with a four-length gate-to-wire win at the Fair Grounds Jan. 20 and was most recently second when going two turns behind another Louisiana Derby contender in Instant Replay (Maximum Security) Feb. 17.

“I wish we would've gotten one more [race] in before the [Louisiana] Derby,” Dilworth admitted. “We just felt like we know he could be competitive and that's why we're here. He's been excellent in his works, galloping out real good. Joe Sharp's done a great job and we're just excited to be a part of it.”

And while the temptation to start smelling roses has caught many an owner dreaming, Dilworth admits he's taking it “one race at a time” for his colt who is yet to be nominated to the Triple Crown series. And as the sales calendar turns back around to the 2-year-olds with OBS March already in the books, Dilworth is content sticking with what he knows.

“I'd rather sell the dream than live the dream,” he said with a laugh, noting that he'd already pinhooked several of the yearlings he purchased from last year. “Evan and I feel very, very blessed to have what we think is a good horse and to be able to compete at this level.”

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