Completing this event with the only sub 1:48 time and just three tenths of a second off the track record, it seems that third time with Lasix was just what the Vet ordered to help bring home this title for trainer John Henry.

• LA Derby – Gr. III Purse $150.000
• Los Alamitos Race Course – For Three Year olds
• One Mile and One Eighth- Main Track

Since going under the knife back in late March, it seems obvious that Charlemagnes Command was in a rebuilding phase of his career under his new trainer. The addition of Lasix also proved an important tool to get him to this victory on the weekend. He would earn his best ever SRF number of 97 for this event, and things now seem to be fitting in nicely, and should be in the hunt in many events in his future. I doubt we will see double digit odds when he sets up for his next event. It may be his only victory in five starts this season, but his trainer now has all the answers.

Placing second in this affair was Bad Bad Boy for trainer Fractious. After his purchase and winning in an Clm40 in first asking, the step up here worked to his favor. He was a part of a list of recent claiming event runners who did well stepping up in class. The addition of blinkers three starts ago has definitely kept his focus on the wire when he turns for home. Will be interesting to see if he continues with his stakes campaign, or drops back to some allowance events.

Third would be Nakamura Stables Rotten Apple who was another who had back to back OpClm victories coming to this affair, and showed well trying to steal this event on the front end. Maybe attacking claiming events is the wave of the future to prep for the BIG events who knows, we will have to wait and see whats in the cards for this black sophomores future.

A dead heat for fourth between D J C Racing Stables Texas Flood and Mb Stables Top Hat would close out the purse shares. Texas Flood pretty well stayed three lengths shy throughout the event, while Top Hat was the post time favorite, being keen early only to fade in the latter fractions.

Also ran’s were Sports Guide ( Estero Farms ) , Bittersweet Symphony ( High Voltage ) and Courageous Tantra ( Paradise Stables ) .

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES