VA Derby – Grade III
1 1/8 Mile Turf Stake Purse $300.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

1st Oh Brother Rampage Stable Ortiz I Jr

I said after his run in the SAR Derby that he had some questions to answer on a dry track and he certainly came up with all the right answers today. It just goes to show how much this game is about the draw and the instructions and very little to do with natural talent as ridden today completely differently from a comfortable draw he won very nicely with a bit in hand showing that he is indeed traveling up his improvement curve. It is almost tragic that when you look back at the two biggest races he has entered he has had a terrible draw and ran badly in them yet when you look at the second tier races, such as The Pilgrim, The American Derby and today he has run so well you would think he could be competitive at grade one. So where does this horse go now? Well i think he is far better than his efforts in the SAR Derby and The BC Juvenile Turf and could easily be competitive in that sort of race if he is given a chance by the draw monster so i think he definitely has a future.
Bred by the owner, together they saw off all the big guns in this race and will be grinning from ear to ear and hoping for a bit more luck if they decide to go big again.

2nd Keeper Of Time Smokey Stover Gutierrez Mario

He was a couple of places in front of Oh Brother in the SAR Derby but had a much better draw so it was no surprise to see him beaten by that horse today. One has to wonder where that effort in the BEL Derby has gone because whilst he ran well enough to be second today you would have to say it was a bit of a weak finish for a horse that had seen the 10 furlongs out so well before.

3rd Penal Hockey Party Maxmillion Farm Houghton T D

For once the turf king was beaten on their beloved surface but they couldn’t have given this one a better chance of winning i just feel that the ninth furlong found them out today. Going to the front i thought he was going to make all but he looked in trouble on the turn and in the end weakened into third. Not a bad effort but maybe an on pace mile is his best trip.

4th Inspector Gadget Nakamura Stables Luzzi L J

Having his ninth race of the season this had the look of a run too many and he may now benefit from a decent break. He was pretty lack luster at the end after holding a good enough position but he has been running hard in top company for a while now so it is hard to knock this effort.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES