SA Derby – Grade I [KYD]
1 1/8 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $750.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

1st Prevent Mb Stables Elliott S

Well with all the skill apparently taken out of the tactical part of the game it seems Mb Stables has now mastered horse lead because they are once again turning TC qualification into an MB Stables charity. You have to almost feel sorry for the opposition because it seems in every qualifier, we see yet another great trip and another potential KYD winner and they are mostly from the same stable. Mb now has the top four qualifiers and five of the top seven giving them the rather nice problem as to which ones will represent them in the big race as they have a total of seven that could potentially run.
So how does this one rank? Well, after failing to make all in the TAM Derby last time after setting a very fast pace he left that role to his stable companion today and settled into the stalking pack. He never really got close to the rail but was in the perfect position to launch himself as the leader inevitably weakened. He won pretty much unchallenged in the end as the rest of the field seemed intent on giving the MB pair as much time as they wanted to set up a winning break. With only five starts this one has plenty of potential and in his last three starts has been a closer, a leader and now a stalker. Could that really be all horse lead or are we seeing the champ do what he does best.

2nd At The Gates Mb Stables Loveberry J

This one had been fading off of faster paces but set up the sort of lead that you need if you are going to be there at the finish and did really well to hold onto second. Certainly, helped by the wide gate speed push this was again a masterfully tactical race on an engine that is meant to have negated all skill in that department. Maybe it has and this performance was just down to masterful AI but whatever it was this $50.000 auction buy ran a great race.

3rd Hiei Fractious Centeno D E

I was watching and waiting for the gaps to open and this horse to push through but for some reason he didn’t really make a move until the race was all over. At 23rd in the rankings and with 4 Mb horses not able to run he should still make the field unless Mb has a fire sale of his lesser chances, and I think there is more to come from this one if he can just get a decent trip.

4th Raise It Wood Duck Stables Garcia Mar

Another one that has been bouncing around his running styles, I actually think he deserves a chance to run in the KYD, but he has been unable to find that length or two that would’ve put him in the picture. I think he has a future over the mile and with only six races under his belt, I am pretty sure we will see further improvement in him.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES