SAR Derby – Grade I
SAR Race #9 1 3/16m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $600.000 For Three-Year-Olds.

1 Rearranger Mb Stables Franco M 122 —

One turf run, one grade one win, enough said. For eight races this three-year-old ran on the dirt picking up the Davis Stakes and for a while looking like a real KYD prospect. That wasn’t to happen however as he continued to run competitive races but seemed to lack the pace at the end of those qualifying races. Roll on the 6th of July and the BEL Derby and viola we have a turf superstar as he traveled like a winner throughout and won by a length with what looked like a little bit in hand. He is exactly the sort that we see every year, has a go at the TC, because any turf horse should be able to perform on both surfaces to an extent, fails, and then becomes a turf runner. His works suggest that he will kick on from that win because a first run and win on turf can sometimes result in a flat second effort. There is nothing to suggest that will happen here and he looks like another big win for the stable in these turf three-year-old races which have come up a little short of runners here at SAR this year.

2 Prince Of Africa Mb Stables Gutierrez Mario 122 —

Now just wait a minute, sure Rearranger looks like a certainty on form but here’s a fly-in the ointment from the same owner. On form, we have six runs, 3 at the fair track and three at the free track, beaten last time in a $2.000 allowance at lowly FP, should this horse even be here? Well in good old HRP land if you keep looking under rocks you eventually find a diamond and just maybe Mb Stables has found another very unlikely-looking diamond. Paying Spinetingling $50 for the Delta Farms bred gelding raised the odd eyebrow but that very soon changed when the horse went from a 1.38b dirt mile work to a 1.34 and 2H turf mile work, faster than the BEL Derby winner worked prior to his big win. Could this horse really go from FP Allowance to a grade one win? Well, I have seen it before and it really would not surprise me, if he wins it will be the find of the year, heck even if he finishes the top four it could be!!

3 Way Of The Dragon Fractious Velazquez J R 122 —

Closed well in the BEL Derby to be third two lengths behind Rearranger and looks the main danger on form at least. An improver this year he ran two nice races on off-tracks before the BEL Derby and it is interesting to note the gradual improvement in his SRF figures suggesting he may get a bit closer this time. Whether he can get past Rearranger will be another matter but with a better draw and maybe a length improvement he could make it pretty interesting.

4 Numbskull Blazin D Sanchez M J 122 —

Hasn’t managed a win this year but showed enough in the Manila last time to suggest that elusive result isn’t far away. His work times are pretty good on the turf track, and he certainly warrants a crack at this race but faces three tough rivals inside him. On form alone, he is third best, but he ticks enough boxes to think he will run well enough to pick up a paycheck, it remains to be seen how big it is.

5 Petranella Man D J C Racing Stables Geroux F 122 —

An interesting entry as he is certainly in contention here. His two wins early in the year were just OK at overnight level but he stepped up nicely when tested in the American Turf in his next race and flew home for a very close third. He was a shade one-paced in his next two although still ran well most notably when a close fourth in the American Derby but his two efforts on wet tracks compared to those may suggest that his best chance of an upset win may come with rain.

6 Rastaban Riggins Racing Bridgmohan S X 122 —

The stable has been in great form here at SAR, not even close to Mb Stables, but nevertheless they are clearly second with nine wins at the time of writing. That fact may give this horse a better chance than his form suggests. His only foray into stakes company was in the ungraded With Anticipation where he ran well enough to be second recording a 100 SRF figure and his works before and since suggest he is improving with racing. A consistent sort at every level he has faced so far this is a big leap in grade and one that may be too big but sometimes consistency can be a big virtue at this level. Looks like he will be in a battle for a smaller paycheck, but I wouldn’t write him off.

SUMMARY

Well on form alone this looks like a pretty obvious one-two with the BEL Derby form. Rearranger to win from Way Of The Dragon and then include the rest of them for the third spot on your trifecta ticket. However, I do like a gamble, and I really like a story so I am going for Prince Of Africa to pull of the impossible, because if anyone can pull off the impossible it is Mb Stables.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES