Derby Contender Perfect Drift Coming to Derby Museum

The Kentucky Derby Museum is pleased to announce the planned arrival of 2002 Kentucky Derby Contender, Perfect Drift. Perfect Drift pulled in $4, 714, 212 in earnings during his distinguished career and placed third in the 128th “Run for the Roses”

Perfect Drift will arrive at the stable behind the Kentucky Derby Museum and unload at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2009. He will be accompanied by his owner Dr. William Reed of Stonecrest Farm.

“The Derby Museum is the epitome of the history of our sport. Drift was a home favorite at Churchill that Derby and now some of his biggest fans will have the opportunity to visit him in this historic location,” says Reed about this announcement.

The Kentucky-bred gelding retired last year and was honored in a ceremony September 27, 2008 at Turfway Park. He was trained for much of his career by Kentucky-based trainer Murray Johnson.

For Johnson, Perfect Drift won such stakes as the Lane’s End Spiral Stakes in 2002, 2003 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs and the 2005 Washington Park Handicap at Arlington Park.

In 50 career starts, he posted 11 wins, 14 seconds, and seven thirds. He won seven graded stakes and placed in 14 other graded stakes. He competed in five consecutive editions of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, finishing third in 2005.

‘Drift’, a son of Dynaformer and out of Nice Gal, broke his maiden at Turfway and won the Lanes End Stakes (gr. II) and Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) also at the Turfway track.

Lynn Ashton, Executive Director of the Kentucky Derby Museum, says “One of our most popular experiences for tourists is the chance to see a live race horse. We are very excited to have a horse of Perfect Drift’s caliber here on the grounds. He’ll get some exercise on the racetrack and and remain in the spotlight posing for pictures with his fans.”

Perfect Drift will return to Stonecrest Farms in Kansas City, MO during the winter months before returning to the Kentucky Derby Museum in the spring time. Resident horse Phantom On Tour will vacation at local Upson Down Farms while Perfect Drift is at the museum.