SA Derby (Grade 1)- $500.000 Purse
SA- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
April 5, 2025

We’ve reached the final big weekend of prep races for the KYD, as three 100-point races will be held that can shake up the leaderboard as we currently know it. There will then be the “Hail Mary” next weekend in the Lexington, but this weekend will determine a lot. Here, we will head out west to SA, to take a look at the 22nd running of the Grade 1 SA Derby. Unfortunately, the purse has taken a hit, dropping from $750.000 to $500.000, which is the same as it was twenty years ago. You’d like to see a little more progress in that, but for this race, it’s been a decline since the high of $1,000.000. Alternatively, this weekend, the BG Stakes at KEE sees a $250.000 increase to $1,250.000. In 2024, Fire Chase won the SA Derby, doing so for Fractious. He would then finish third in the KYD but has not been the same horse since. He has not won since this race, and is still active, running for Riggins Racing, and despite good works, has not been getting the results at all for that one. Even with the purse cut, we still have a full field of twelve, because those 100 points are on the line. Here’s a look at the field:

1- Dimholt Road (Alydar Stables, ridden by G Corrales)- Despite starting off the year well with a second-place effort in the Jerome, Dimholt Road has not been able to sustain any momentum off of that. He was poor in each of the Risen Star and the Ruby Stakes, running 7th and 12th respectively, and will hope to turn that around now. The trainer happily boasts Daemon in his stable, but as of now, does not have another in the top 20.

2- Moonligtonthewabash (High Voltage, ridden by D E Centeno)- Claimed for $28.000 by the trainer in November, and after a couple of months of rest, this gelding would run next in the Grade 3 Lewis Stakes. Placed second there, taking 10 points, but was a non-factor here in the San Felipe. Still a lightly raced horse, so could still be improving, but I’ll be looking elsewhere. After all, his name is a pain to type.

3- Grit And Grind (Mb Stables, ridden by E J Zayas)- He’s only managed one win over his seven starts, but a couple of second place runs in preps have earned him 35 points and 21st on the leaderboard. He’s in a four-way tie at 35 points, and three of them are owned by Mb Stables. Grit And Grind was second in the Holy Bull in February, then made his trip here to SA for the San Felipe, where he just missed by a neck. That makes him one of the more appealing entries here.

4- Candy Fear Party (Martyparty, ridden by A Cedillo)- Finished off his two-year-old season with three consecutive wins, highlighted by the $300.000 FL Sire Stakes- In Reality at GP. He has not won a race yet this season, and had two similar, unproductive race lines in each of the Lecomte and the Fountain Of Youth. The trainer hopes his party’s not over, but Candy Fear Party needs to step it up here. I’ll be surprised if the same tactic is used.

5- Virtual Sport (Mb Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- After winning two of his first three, previous trainer Williams9 entered him in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes, and that did not go well. Williams9 tried the turf after, and while he was not terrible there, he’d find his way to the December auction. Mb Stables got him for a bargain, just $15.000, and the horse went wire to wire in a SUN optional claimer last month. Virtual Sport still needs to prove himself at this level before we can call it a success story, but he’s in the right barn to do it.

6- Mr Cockypants (La Canada Racehorses, ridden by J Valdivia Jr)- Picked up by the trainer in the September 2024 auction for $36.010, and is currently riding a three-race winning streak. That began in an allowance in December, which would lead into the Swale Stakes at GP, and then a trip to AQU for the Gotham, all of which resulted in wins. That gives Mr Cockypants 50 for the KYD, so he’s likely to be one of the two horses (at least) that the trainer will have in the race. Figures to pick up some more points here.

7- Poor Scoer (Hippyheart, ridden by F T Alvarado)- This gelding has made five career starts, and has won twice with two other second place efforts during that time. The first four races were all overnights, and as he won the last two, the trainer entered him into the Mike La Rosa LA Derby just two weeks ago, where he ran second. That gives him 50 points, which may have been enough without running him back so quickly, but you never can tell. Let’s see what he does on short rest.

8- The Golden Age (Mb Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- All three of the horses that are currently on 50 points on the leaderboard are entered here in the SA Derby and starting together, so the race within the race between them can also be something to keep an eye on. The Golden Age was picked up by Mb Stables for $145.000 in a January private sale and has won both races since. He’s also here on somewhat short rest, having last raced three weeks ago when he won the $500.000 VA Derby. Hopes to stay hot right here.

9- Royal Devil (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by D Cabrera)- A lightly raced horse that will make his fifth career starts. Just two races ago, he broke his maiden on the turf at prestigious BTP but bounced back into much stronger company at TP for the $250.000 Rushaway Stakes. Yes, that too, was just two weeks ago, so Royal Devil has not had much time to rest. However, in his case, he doesn’t have 50 points already, so he needs this race right here. Team 7 Illusions has two in the top 33, but none in the top 25.

10- Clever (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- Showed his potential as a two-year-old, with two wins in three starts, including the $125.000 Inaugural Stakes at TAM. Began this year running fourth in the Smarty Jones, so things were still looking decent for him. However, Clever has not run well since, placing 7th and 11th in the Holy Bull and TAM Derby, respectively. Had to come from the outside in each of them, but that’s not something that will change with this draw. Must get a quick reversal of form.

11- Dragon (Nakamura Stables, ridden by S Elliott)- Here, we have another horse that will be running on two weeks rest for the SA Derby. For Dragon, this will also be the third race in five weeks, running fifth in the San Felipe here before a trip to TP yielded a second-place results. He has 55 points, and is 9th on the board right now, so I have to wonder if he even needs to be running here. Sure, mathematically, he could be knocked out, and the trainer is not taking any chances.

12- Sincere Breeze (Asgar, ridden by Ru Silvera)- Well, he’s not running on two weeks rest like a handful in here are, he did that last time. Sincere Breeze ran here for the Grade 2 San Felipe last month, a race that he finished second in, just two weeks after he broke his maiden, also here. Now, with more to rest, he will look to improve on his 15 points, which presently have him 40th on the leaderboard. Asgar has several horses on the leaderboard, but none in the top 20.

Prediction: 6-3-8-12

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES