THE conversations were many. The strategy was simple. Get to the first Saturday in May.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and Shadwell Stable’s Rick Nicholls made a plan early and have stuck to it.

Mohaymen, a $2.2 million yearling son of Tapit, has done the rest, securing four checkpoints on the way to the Kentucky Derby.

His latest was hardly a checkpoint, more like a drive-by wave, as he toyed with five rivals in the Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park January 30th.

Mohaymen improved his record to four from four with a facile score in the Grade 2 stakes.

The grey colt stalked the pace, split horses and sauntered to a three and a half-length score over Grade 1 winner Greenpointcrusader.

straight-A

It wasn’t the margin, as much as the style, Mohaymen galloped to the wire like a kid walking home from school with a straight-A report card and a date to the dance.

With another easy jaunt, Mohaymen has elbowed his way to the top of the Triple Crown contender list.

The undefeated Nyquist has yet to make his three-year-old debut but he’s got company.

Mohaymen won his debut at Belmont Park in September, notched the Grade 2 Nashua and Grade 2 Remsen in November and made his three-year-old debut in the Holy Bull. Next stop, the Fountain of Youth February 27th.

“Special horse,” McLaughlin said.