The National Museum of Racing – Grade II
1 Mile Inner Turf Stake Purse $500.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

When the rain came, and the track was listed as off I felt sure that of the two Mb Stables horses it would be Drinking Creepin that would prevail. On a dry track they had both worked exactly 1.09.55 for 6 furlongs on different tracks and whilst this is an amazing coincidence it did put them very close if the rain stayed away. However, on a wet track Drinkin Creepin was two from two, including a grade three stakes race and Love Of The Derby had a short femur which can sometimes hinder them in the wet, and no form in the rain. There was one piece of interest that was pertinent in their history however, Love Of The Derby had one public wet track work that went a pretty sedate 1.13 and 2 but over the same distance Drinkin Creepins work in the wet clocked 1.13 and 3, it is tentative but maybe that was the clue among all the other facts that would lead to this result.

Here is how they crossed the line:

1st Love Of The Derby Mb Stables Velazquez J R

Broke well and took a few furlongs to begin to assert over his stable mate but when he did, he just kept adding to the pressure and in the end won by a handy length without ever really looking like getting beaten. With six wins now from eight starts he wasn’t one of the stable stars at the start of the year when he was bought from Jormav but after three runs in lesser company at GG it was clear he was improving rapidly.

2nd Drinkin Creepin Mb Stables Saez L

The race favorite handed the lead up to his stable mate and that seemed to seal his fate as he could never get back on terms once he had. This was a good effort although he probably was a bit disappointing when you consider his wet form.

3rd Zakouski One Smokey Stover Lopez P

Won The American Derby on a wet track very easily so he too looked to be suited by conditions. However, he pretty much stayed in place like most of the field did and whacked away for third in a pretty uneventful race.

4th Cioppino TwinTowersRacing Franco M

After two furlongs the order of the first four stayed exactly the same with the only two switching places being the last two. This one started fourth and stayed there, nothing much more to say other than he was possibly the least advantaged by the wet track.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES