The BC Derby – Grade III
HST   Race #3   1 1/8m   Dirt   Graded Stake
Purse $150.000  For Three Year Olds.

1 Prince Of Anglona, trained by Eastern Equine
Taken out of a claimer last time where he finished second to last, he really hasn’t delivered since a nose win in an SA maiden back in February. There is nothing that stands out to me and says this is a contender at Grade Three level, but his trainer wasn’t born yesterday, so you would expect him to play some role in this race.

2 Gold Star Advocate, trained by Eastern Equine
Still a maiden, but there is a lot of intrigue about this one, and he is far better than first glance. He ran on nicely to be second in a SA maiden over this trip way back in April and hasn’t run since, but a look at his recent works suggests there is more to him than a beaten maiden. His last work over six furlongs was only a fraction slower than the probable favourite for this race, and with a decent draw, he may just be the joker in the pack.

3 Socraties, trained by John Henry
I would say this is the best horse on paper in the race, but as we know stakes form can mean very little when assessing chances, so you have to be a little careful before you put the house on him. Winner of the Day Mile, he has since run three cracking races culminating with a decent third in the WV Derby last time, which is far better than anything else in the race. Sharp works suggest he is at least as good for this race, and it is very easy to see him winning by a couple of lengths.

4 Bersagliere, trained by Hambletonian Stables
This one muddies the water a little as his two stakes efforts out of four starts have both been on turf, making him difficult to weigh up for this race. He won a sprint maiden on the dirt back in March but was then switched to turf routing for his next two efforts, which resulted in two good seconds at ungraded level.  Big ticket sales suggest he has ability, and although a gamble as to whether he takes to the dirt, he clearly has the ability to get in the shake.

5 Slay, trained by Alberta Rose Stables
He has won his last two starts at a much lower level, but has clearly found his niche as far as trip and surface go and is not without a chance. His last start win over a mile at ELP came in a strong time, and his works aren’t far behind them, so I give him a puncher’s chance in a tricky race to call.

6 Treasure Trove, trained by Mb Stables
One of the strongest workers in the race, which isnt surprising considering the stable he comes from, and whilst he may be the 150th best three year old in the yard, he could well start favorite for this race. Consistent at all levels, he finished a nice third in the BG Stakes back in April but hasn’t really been tested since and comes here pretty fresh. The outside draw will test, but he is an easy choice for the first two.

SUMMARY
On paper, Socraties looks nailed on for this, but Treasure Trove will test him and all the others have something in their form or works that gives them a chance; an intriguing race.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES