SUN Derby – Grade III [KYD]
SUN Race #10 1 1/8m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $800.00 For Three Year Olds.
1 Zalim Royalty Racing Contreras L
Royalty Racing sends this one here for a real old fashioned go at the big time and the son of Growl isnt without a chance. After failing pretty badly in the Remsen and The Smarty Jones he was sold for $75 as an outside Derby hope and ran pretty well for his new owner in the MTB Derby earning himself this one chance at glory. He started well in that race and he will have to again today from this inside gate but he stuck to his guns that day and i am sure he will give the trainer a good run for their $50 entry. Not the best or the quickest in the race but worth having a go with.
2 Long Time Ago Mb Stables Gaffalione T
A great draw for this lightly raced gelding who looks to be the right sort for the Derby if it all hasnt come too soon. Just the one run for one win as a juvenile he came out on seasonal debut for a sprint maiden win at TP before running a very creditable second in the CAC Derby. That was a decent effort but one wonders whether he is up to this grade yet as he meets far more established Derby hopes. The draw and the trainer gives him a chance and strong works say he can run a race whether it will be today though is another matter.
3 Beach Dandy Joshua Stables Castellano J J
Its very hard to see beyond this horse who has the works, the form and thanks to some creative tactics from his trainer a great draw. The BC Juvenile winner he has been given plenty of time this year and looked dominant in his only start in the Risen Star winning by a comfortable length. Could this be the best buy ever at HRP if he wins here and goes on to take the KYD? A $17 auction buy he now has winnings of nearly $2K and looks far from over in the earning stakes. His normal jock takes the saddle and i dont think we have to look anywhere else for the winner.
4 Niner So Dreamy Serenity Stables Beschizza A
There’s not many horses that come from a free track maiden to a KYD points race but thats exactly what this one did and he very nearly won the El Camino going down by a nose from a rotten wide draw. With just four races and one win its hard to make a case for him on the face of it but i think he ran a cracker in defeat last time after making the running and this perfect draw today may just see him getting in the points again.
5 Grappler D J C Racing Stables Garcia Alan
This one improved nicely as a juvenile winning his last three culminating in an ungraded stakes race at WO. He was eye catching in the Holy Bull flying late from a bad draw to be fifth beaten just a length and then was dealt another blow when wide again in the Fountain Of Youth and running a very similar race. I think this is a good one despite zero KYD points and with a much more conducive draw today he may just be the one to push Beach Dandy.
6 Tongariro Smokey Stover Ortiz I Jr
A solid enough two year old he didnt really make it in the top grade but his trainer kept trying which says he clearly see’s something in this home bred. He battled on for a win on seasonal debut in lesser grade and then ran a decent race in the El Camino from a wide draw being fourth and beaten under a length. His work times are in the ball park but i just feel he lacks the necessary class gene and he may again be found wanting in this race.
7 Proud Life Nakamura Stables Talamo J
Lightly raced his works are a lot better than his form so far but with everything working very similar times it is hard to separate them on works alone. His runs in overnight company have been fair but i have a feeling that this is more a hit and hope type of entry.
8 Final Verse Mb Stables Bejarano R
Second in both the Smarty Jones and the Risen Star he is certainly one of the fancies for this race. He was closing well on Beach Dandy in the Risen Star but with a fitness edge that day i cant see him getting much closer today. A consistent sort he will be in at the finish and will relish the step up to nine furlongs.
9 False Command Fractious Colon L H
Another one of those hit and hopes he too isnt a bad sort but he has yet to post the sort of form the favorites have for this race. After just a fair juvenile season and a second on seasonal debut he was better in the CAC Derby when fourth so shouldnt be overlooked because of just the one maiden win to his name. Again the works are the same as everything else but the draw and the form say he may struggle.
10 Prophecy Mb Stables Bridgmohan S X
Five races for zero wins as a two year old didnt put him on the radar as a KYD hope but that has changed since he turned three with two wins out of two and the second of them being a smooth win in the TUP Derby. He beat my horse that day so i hope he goes and wins by ten today but i suspect he is the third string from the stable and with this wide draw may just be one to make up the numbers for the champion trainer.
11 Capo Moon Asgar Gallardo A A
He has been working the house down over five furlongs but has yet to post the sort of form that would make him a top hope for this race. In his only run over ground he was well beaten at allowance level and i suspect we will see him sprinting again once this hail mary shot is over.
12 Shake It Up And Go John Henry Velazquez J R
This is a very interesting entry from out in the cheap seats as he has mixed it up witha few of these and performed pretty well. Just a neck behind Beach Dandy in the Springboard Mile last season he won the Smarty Jones on seasonal debut from Final Verse and with those two the probable favorites for this race it puts him right in there with a major chance. He was a little disappointing in the Fountain Of Youth Stakes when fading a little into eighth and will be trying to improve on that today with a last chance at KYD entry. He looks good on paper but i am not sure he will appreciate this quick back up.
13 Brazen Deception Nakamura Stables Desormeaux K J
The two wide draws have similar chances and on paper they arent that good. He ran well enough when fourth in the Davis Stakes and deserves a shot at this sort of race but the terrible draw and the fact the principals have drawn so well would mean something drastic would have to happen for this one to take a win.
14 Diddy Doodat TwinTowersRacing Pennington F
Well he wins the best name stakes if nothing else. Right alongside Brazen Deception in the Davis Stakes he had a rotten draw that day too but will have to do even better to beat this field from the car park. Not the worst but not the best either and he will need something out of the blue to get into the finish.
SUMMARY
Well on paper Beach Dandy could start yesterday and still win this race so he must be the top choice. The obvious choices for second would be Final Verse but with the likelihood of skinny odds on those two i would go outside the box a little and be backing Grappler each way.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
