After finishing a surprise third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar Nov. 1, Hill Road has remained in the United States and joined the barn of five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.
Following his solid dirt debut at odds of 61-1, Brown said the Quality Road colt was experiencing some "developmental aches and pains" and was given time to rest at a farm in Kentucky. Once the rest was over, owner Amo Racing USA sent the 3-year-old colt to Brown.
"He had some minor issues to get over. No surgery, but there was rest required," Brown said. "Once the horse was ready to go back into training, they sent him to me. The horse looks good so far."
Hill Road published his first recorded workout for Brown Feb. 3, breezing three furlongs in :37 at Payson Park Training Center in Indiantown, Fla. It was the second-fastest of 25 works at the distance that day.
His turn of foot in the Del Mar stretch earned some respect with those keeping an eye on the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1). In Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which ran Jan. 17-19, Hill Road closed at odds of 44-1. However, Brown said the colt's time off has put him behind schedule to make the Churchill Downs starting gate on the first Saturday in May.
"He's definitely behind in terms of the Derby, but not necessarily behind in the terms of the Triple Crown as a whole," Brown said. "We'll see how he does week-to-week, but a very nice prospect out of the barn for sure."
Hill Road was among 373 horses nominated to the Triple Crown, a list that was released Feb. 4. The Preakness Stakes (G1) takes place May 17 at Pimlico Race Course and the Belmont Stakes (G1) takes place June 7 at Saratoga Race Course.
Bred in Kentucky by Lynch Bages and Camas Park Stud, Hill Road was a $350,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He began his racing career for Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar in Ireland with trainer Adrian Murray, who is based in County Westmeath.
After a five-length maiden score at Leopardstown traveling one mile in August, Hill Road finished seventh in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (G1) at the Curragh in September, a race in which eventual Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) winner Henri Matisse finished second.
