Super Derby- Grade 3 ($400.000 Purse)
LAD- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
September 10, 2016

On the Fourth of July while most of us were planning barbecues or watching fireworks, Mb Stables purchased a little known three year old colt from Allinthegate for $350.000.    It took six starts for him to break his maiden, doing so in restricted CA-bred company at LA in April, and then after that he won an N1X at GG.  All that was sprinting, and Mb Stables offered the large sale price which we can fairly call a gamble.  No one really knew how he would fare going longer, but the ability of Mb to spot talent showed itself, and right away he was put in the Grade 2 MTH Cup.  That didn’t go according to plan, but sometimes a horse just needs a race, and with that, Pure Reindrops got his graded experience.  Today, he was unstoppable.  Once he took the lead, he never looked back and really, only Asset Class prevented this from being a complete romp.   The win marks the second consecutive win in the stake for Mb Stables, who did so last year with Royal Prodigy.  I Ortiz Jr made his trip to Cajun Country count, and wins the stake for the first time in his career.  The time of the win was 1:48.06, a little slower then the last two, but Pure Reindrops didn’t need to be faster!  Congrats to our winner, and now let’s look more at the race!

1st- 3- Pure Reindrops (6/1)– Our eventual winner from Mb Stables started well, and it looked like it would come down between a few of them early as to who would emerge with the lead.  Moving into the opening turn, Ocean Cookie backed off of the challenge, and Ratan, who was still four wide at this point, would not be able to keep up.   So it would be Pure Reindrops around the opening turn, pulling out to a length advantage as they moved into the backstretch.  Set the opening half in :48.12, and as the backstretch run went on, it was really beginning to appear as though Asset Class was the only one interested in keeping up with him at this point.  At six furlongs going into the final turn, doing this in 1:11.52, Pure Reindrops led Asset Class by a length and a half with about another two lengths back to anyone else.  These distances remained constant throughout the turn, and into the top of the stretch.  After a mile went in 1:35.54, the only horse he had to worry about was Asset Class, but that one was really only slightly cutting into his lead, and I Ortiz Jr knew that as long as he kept Pure Reindrops at this steady pace, everything would be fine.  In the end, Pure Reindrops sees pure sunshine at the finish line, and wins the Super Derby!  Pure Reindrops is a three year old colt by Pure Intentions (Pure Steel/Steel Ball) and out of Pink Rain (Pink Panther/Charley Farley).  He was bred in California as a third quarter two year old by Allinthegate.  This was his second race in the Mb Stables silks.  Congratulations to the connections!

2nd- 1- Asset Class (3/1)- Today’s runner up from Sccj Stables got off to a steady start along the rail, not really testing Pure Reindrops around the opening turn, but still staying within two lengths of him.  Kept a calculated cruising speed going down the backstretch, stalking Pure Reindrops, and began to pull away from the rest of the field in the process.  Ran well in the turn, but still had a length and a half to make up on the leader as they hit the top of the stretch.  There was no one really challenging him from behind at this point.  Put together a strong stretch performance, and ever so slightly crept closer to Pure Reindrops, but he was not going to make up all the necessary ground in time.  Another furlong between these two would’ve been interesting, but for now, it’s a solid second.

3rd- 2- Ocean Cookie (4/1)- Quick out of the gate initially for Aml Racing, making a bid to challenge Pure Reindrops before backing off into the opening turn.   Dropped back into a midpack position for the backstretch.  Ran steady over this portion, but lost ground to both the leading Pure Reindrops and second place Asset Class, which would be critical lengths he would want to make up later.  Seemed to run level with the top two on exit of the turn and  gained slight ground in the stretch, but the lengths he conceded early come back to bite him.

4th- 4- Thats The Truth (9/2)- The entry from TwinTowersRacing was not interested in the early pace, and went to the back of the field.  He was never that far off the pace, and just four lengths out of it at the top of the backstretch.  Remained there until a couple started backing up in front of him, and this prompted a four wide move into the final turn.  Used this lane to get by Laffin Alicia and Ratan and got a little closer to Ocean Cookie, but that’s about it.

5th- 5- Laffin Alicia (5/2)- Our selection and the post time favorite disappointed a lot of people today.   His start was not necessarily bad, but she was beaten by most, and ended up towards the back early on in the race.  It appeared as though he wanted to split Asset Class and Ratan in the backstretch, but that didn’t work out.  He did pass Ratan, but as that one backed up, Asset Class only pulled away from him. Had nothing for the stretch.

6th- 6- Ratan (10/1)- Broke well out of the gate for Heavens Own, but was never really able to get to an inside lane for the opening turn.  Emerged at the top of the backstretch in good shape still, just a length behind the leader.  Struggled in the backstretch, losing two lengths over this portion of the race. Packed it in midway through the turn.

Track: Fast
Time: :48   1:11²  1:35²  1:48

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 1 Paid 35.60
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 1 – 2 Paid 73.60

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES