The 18th Running of the G1 AR Derby
Saturday, April 1, 2023
OP Race #3 $1,250.000
3YOs 122 Lbs 11/8
KYD POINTS RACE (100-40-30-20-10)
Course Record-1:46.45 (Obvious Intention-2008)
Stakes Record-1:47.96 (Copper Beast-2016)
The 2023 edition of the G1 AR Derby will be remembered as the time Mb Stables pulled a “Pletcher”. After a thrilling finish to the signature 3yo event at OP, the judges couldn’t separate Wahpekute Sioux and Jacks Courage. Both the colt, Wahpekute Sioux, and the gelding, Jacks Courage, race for Mb Stables and now find themselves occupying the first and second spots, respectively, at the top of the KYD points leaderboard. Terabyte crossed the wire a length back in 3rd as Neon Town got the bob for 4th over Peace Pipe. The final time for the nine-furlongs was 1:48.02. The winners each received 100 KYD points while 3rd through 5th received 30, 20, and 10 points respectively.
Wahpekute Sioux, kept to the rail, and Jacks Corage, racing in the five path, were two and three respective lengths off of the early pacesetter, Chameleon, as the field rounded the first turn. As Terabyte grabbed the lead after a half-mile went in :47.02, Wahpekute Sioux was still hugging the rail, two back. Jacks Courage was still wide on the course, but he was only a length further back. Nearing the 3/8 pole, Wahpekute Sioux was dragging his pilot within a length of Terabyte. His stablemate, on the other hand, was still just a length behind Wahpekute Sioux, but he was now six-wide as they approached the final bend.
Rounding that turn for home, Wahpekute Sioux did Jacks Courage a favor by patiently waiting for a seam to develop inside of Terabyte. His decision allowed Jacks Courage to avoid being pushed even wider on the course. Inside the quarter-pole, Wahpekute Sioux moved by Terabyte, and Jacks Courage had about two lengths to make up on his barnmate. For a brief moment, at the 1/8 pole, it looked like Wahpekute Sioux had put the race to bed; however, Jacks Courage decided the drama was only just beginning. Gradually reducing his deficit in the final 100-yards, Jacks Courage finished with a burst to hit the wire at the same time as Wahpekute Sioux. It was a five-horse scrum behind the Mb Stables-trained duo, with More Twist and Indian Summer appearing late on the scene. Terabyte proved courageous in saving the show from Neon Town as the latter utilized a late rally up the rail to nab the 10 extra points from Peace Pipe. More Twist and Indian Summer got within two lengths of the winners, but they were shut-out on the scoreboard. Completing the order of finish were Loko Moko, Sioux Tribe, War Of Backroads, Frenchman, The Legend Of Farley, Sante Park, and Chameleon.
Wahpekute Sioux has now won consecutive KYD preps to run his record to 8-4-2-0 with $923.160 in earnings. Jacks Courage runs his winning streak to four and has now amassed $931.000 in earnings with his 11-5-3-0 race record. Congratulations to Wahpekute Sioux and Jacks Courage on their shared victory and to Mb Stables for a tremendous training accomplishment in the G1 AR Derby!
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
