Tom Pedulla is interviewing prominent owners, trainers and jockeys as they travel the Road to the 151st Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on May 3 at Churchill Downs.

Sean Flanagan and trainer Chad Brown. (BloodHorse/Skip Dickstein)

This week’s installment features Flanagan Racing’s Sean Flanagan, whose two-time Grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick is scheduled to make his anticipated 3-year-old debut in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby March 8 at Tampa Bay Downs.

The winner of the 2024 Hopeful Stakes and Champagne Stakes as a juvenile for trainer Chad Brown has 10 qualifying points for the 2025 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve. The Tampa Bay Derby will award qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis.

Flanagan, a native of Lowell, Mass., discussed his reprieve after being told he had terminal cancer and two years to live, and his Kentucky Derby dream with Chancer McPatrick following minor front ankle surgery done on the colt after a disappointing sixth-place finish in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA during a question-and-answer session conducted on behalf of America’s Best Racing.

PEDULLA: How did you become interested in Thoroughbred racing?

FLANAGAN: Fifty-five years at the racetrack just as a fan. Saratoga, especially. The month of August was for Saratoga. I always went up. I’d stay in hotels and always had a great time at Saratoga.

PEDULLA: Was it your idea or Karen’s to get married at The Big Red Spring at Saratoga Race Course?

FLANAGAN: It was mine. In fact, her mother [Marjorie] was a little nervous. She said, ‘Who is this guy who’s going to marry you at a racetrack?’ But when she got to Saratoga, she was obviously pleasantly surprised. You can call it a racetrack, but it’s much more than that. It’s equestrian paradise, whatever great name you want to give it.

Chancer McPatrick winning Champagne Stakes. (Eclipse Sportswire)

PEDULLA: What went into the decision to have Chancer McPatrick undergo minor ankle surgery?

FLANAGAN: He had a little ankle chip. Honestly, I don’t know which ankle it was. Chad said it was very insignificant. It was tiny. In fact, he referred to it as a ‘flake.’ He said, ‘Why take a chance and maybe have to deal with it the first half of next year? It’s totally your call.’ I said, ‘Absolutely. Let’s have it removed.’

PEDULLA: How do you evaluate the Juvenile? I thought everything about the race changed when East Avenue stumbled badly out of the gate.

FLANAGAN: No question about it. I needed that horse to go for the lead, at least establish some sort of pace.

PEDULLA: Do you and Chad feel as though you are playing catch-up this season?

FLANAGAN: With the ankle chip surgery, he had to have some stall rest. I believe it was two weeks. That puts him behind schedule as far as conditioning is concerned. But he’s done very well. I think he was a little rusty in his first breeze, so Chad was a little bit concerned. His second breeze was much better, and he’s been doing well since. His progress is solid and steady, and I think Chad is pleased with how he’s coming along.

PEDULLA: The Tampa Bay Derby doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition for you?

FLANAGAN: I think Chad is laser focused on the Blue Grass [Stakes April 5 at Keeneland]. He thinks that race will set up very well for him, but you need to be prepared.

PEDULLA: You were found to have a malignant tumor the size of a grapefruit in your abdomen in 2019 and initially told you had two years to live. How did you cope with that?

FLANAGAN: It was, obviously, the lowest point in my life. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was the worst day of my life. I asked the doctor, ‘How do we attack this? Is it chemo? Is it radiation? Is it both?’ He said, ‘None of that. Maybe immunotherapy.’

PEDULLA: That must have been incredibly hard to hear.

FLANAGAN: I had gotten used to the idea of not being around in a couple of years. You try to make your peace. It was a tough time. Telling the kids [then teenagers Grace and Patrick], that’s what really shook me up, and I didn’t for about a week. I just didn’t know what to say.

PEDULLA: What was it like to receive a much better prognosis from Dr. Michael Blute after surgery at The Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston?

FLANAGAN: He kind of put his arm around me and he talked about things I don’t understand. He said the margins look really, really good. As far as we can tell, you don’t have cancer. It was just really exciting.

PEDULLA: Are you monitored pretty closely? 

FLANAGAN: I go in and see Dr. Blute every six months for various tests. That’s how we have to approach it. I named a really nice horse after him, Dr. Blute. 

PEDULLA: Is there every indication that you are cancer free?

FLANAGAN: Absolutely. I feel great. Knock on wood.

PEDULLA: I know you really stepped up your ownership after your health scare. You were the underbidder on Ferocious before he sold for $1.3 million. You acquired Chancer McPatrick at the OBS Spring sale of 2-year-olds in training for $725,000.

Flanagan leads Chancer McPatrick after Hopeful Stakes win. (BloodHorse/Skip Dickstein)

FLANAGAN: I’m a pretty stable and thoughtful guy about what I want to leave for my kids, which is as much as I possibly can. But I also have the right to have fun, too, and I have a ton of fun doing this. There is a lot of letdown but the highs are higher than anything. Just one win puts you on top of the world.

PEDULLA: With Chancer McPatrick, he’s shown he prefers to come from well back. Is it difficult to have a horse dependent on pace?

FLANAGAN: We’ll have to see how he runs as a 3-year-old. Sometimes they change a little bit but I think he definitely needs a pace. He’s OK breaking from the gate but then he seems to want to drop back and see the field and see what he has to deal with. [Jockey] Flavien [Prat] has pointed out several times that he uses his energy very effectively. When Flavien gives him a little nudge, boom, he goes. When Flavien backs off, he conserves a little energy. And he’ll do this several times throughout the race. A lot of times horses have just one gear, and they go until they’re spent and that’s it. I don’t think that is the case with Chancer McPatrick. He’s special in that way. He can gear up and gear down on command.

PEDULLA: I know you have been forced into this situation, but do you believe two preps will be enough?

FLANAGAN: I’m no expert here but some trainers say a race is worth two or three breezes. I think he’s going to be in razor sharp condition come Derby and I think he’s going to be fresh, too.

PEDULLA: Do you have Derby fever?

FLANAGAN: I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. Sometimes you have to really force yourself to think about other things. Chancer McPatrick pops into my mind when I’m in bed and then you’re up for three hours thinking about stuff.

PEDULLA: What would it mean to win the Derby?

FLANAGAN: I’d love it. I’d love it for the horse. I’d love it for me. I’d love it for my parents. To run well there and to win, it would be something I can’t even imagine.

PEDULLA: Do you ever daydream and try to picture it?

FLANAGAN: I’ll be honest with you, I do it all the time. I catch myself and say, ‘Don’t do that to yourself for crying out loud.’ And then I say, ‘Why not?’ How many chances am I going to have at this type of dream, so have fun with it. And I am.