CA Derby
1 1/16 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $100.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

1st     Battle Hardened      Barcelona Farms      Fuentes Ru

The miracle of gelding was once again on show here as the home bred gelding from Barcelona Farms made it four in a row in emphatic fashion. The improvement was obvious as he went through the conditions and even a trip to lowly TUP last time could not halt his progress up the improvement curve. Settling towards the rear as the leaders set a fairly strong pace he moved up with ease and brushed them aside down the stretch. We wont know how good he is until he goes to the next level but it is clear the further and longer he goes the better he gets.

2nd    Off Center         Mb Stables       Jaramillo E

One feels at this level he may just have a finish that will make him struggle. Once again when the whips came out his effort flattened out and whilst that can be a warning sign it could be that he wants to go back to sprinting. I am sure the trainer will look at all the options next up.

3rd      Bo Buys An Island     Woogaloo     Ferrer J C

This is the third time in a row he has weakened from an on pace position and like the runner up you have to wonder whether he is a sprinter trying to go too far or a router that hasn’t got a finish. Either way he does have a future but now the trainer has to work out where that is, It maybe even be time to consider the magic of gelding

4th    Mount Fuji      London Racing    Saez L

Stayed on from the back but never got any closer.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded