DMR Derby (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
DMR- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
September 6, 2020

The field is set for the eighteenth running of the DMR Derby, a nine furlong turf event held at its namesake track, for three year olds. Out of all of that history, this will be the lowest purse that the race has run for, as it initially debuted at $300.000, peaked at $400.000, and ran for a while at $250.000. This latest deduction brings the Grade 2 to its lowest offering. There is a field of seven for the race, and that has been the norm in recent years, so it is good to see that was not affected even if we might be lacking a real standout here. Last year, Homme de Guerre took the win for John Henry, but has not won since. He was sold to Nakamura Stables for $175.000 in mid June but has not appeared in a race for him yet. Interestingly, neither of those trainers have an entry in this field. But other big names do. Let’s meet the field!

#1- Its Personal (Mb Stables, ridden by D Davis)- The only runner for Mb Stables in the field, and it’s one of those progressing horses that he is hoping to have take the next step that we have all seen so many times before. The Commanding gelding has performed well where he has run, but has not tried anything more then an optional claimer in his four starts. Working as good as anyone here, however.

#2- Big Aspirations (Fractious, ridden by R Bejarano)- Just a winner in one out of his eight starts, but he has a couple of quality runner up finishes. Most recently, he was second in the KD Preview Turf Cup, a race that if he can duplicate, he should have a good shot here. Big Aspirations has a couple graded starts under his belt, and finished in the middle of the field. There is potential here, and this could be his time to shine.

#3- Raleigh In Doubt (Ekli Stable, ridden by J J Hernandez)- This one knows how to find the winners circle, with four wins in ten career starts. Earlier this year, he won the $120.000 NM Breeders Derby this March, and he comes in off a victory in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap last month. He recently moved over to the grass, doing so in his last two starts. He rotates wins and non-wins lately, but that pattern is not good news for this one.

#4- Technic (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- A still lightly raced gelding from Scott The Great, who has been able to hit the board in each of his five starts. However, only one of them has resulted in a win. Maximillion acquired in May, cheaply, for $50.000 while he was still a maiden, got that win, and then got a second place finish in the Grade 2 Read Stakes. It’s another example of Maxmillion showing his special touch with turf horses.

#5- Ohtani (Sccj Stables, ridden by F Prat)- The highest earner in the field, at $257.200. Much of that came in May, when he would win the Grade 2 Dixie at PIM. It is one of his two career victories in eleven starts. He has not really been able to follow that win up, but he has also not seen a dry track since then. Although, his maiden win was on soft turf as well, so he’ll need more then the expected firm turf here to change his fortunes.

#6- Money Truck (Spankys Barn, ridden by U Rispoli)- After a dismal outing in the Los Alamitos Derby, Money Truck is heading back to the grass, where he has won three times. All of those have been in overnights, and neither of those two stake tries have been good. Works say he should be as good as anyone else in this field, but he has to step up to the rise in class, something he has not been able to do.

#7- Bombay Diplomat (High Voltage, ridden by D Van Dyke)- Comes into the race off of the Grade 1 BEL Derby, and was soundly defeated by some of the best in the division. This is a step down from that, and he did win a graded race right here back in December. It’s been a while, and during his three year old season, we have not seen Bombay Diplomat have an exciting result. Perhaps that changes here, but not a horse I will be picking.

Prediction: 4-2-3-1

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES