The Southwest – Grade III [KYD]
1 1/16 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $500.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

1st Liberty Valance D J C Racing Stables Bravo J

What a difference a year makes, as a two year old he was a two race maiden but move on a year and he is a two from two Derby contender! I said in my preview for this race that the trainer liked to throw these types in to these races in the hopes one sticks and this one stuck in no uncertain terms. Taken back from his impossible looking draw the pace was quick enough to allow closers to close and this is the one that finished best of all to win this race by a half length at odds of over seventy to one. With so little to go on we will just have to wait and see how the form pans out for this race but this one has the conformation and the breeding to go on to be a serious KYD contender.

2nd Instagooglefacetweet John Henry Van Dyke D

The one thing that stood out for this one was the latest mile work of 1.36 and 2 and it was that rather than any of his previous form that puts him right into the Derby picture. Tracking around midpack he couldnt match the winners finish but stuck on really well for second and proves that there are still twenty buck purchases out there that can eclipse all the big money.

3rd Made Out Of Glass Mb Stables Beschizza A

Stayed on well enough for third in his first route race to go onto the list of back ups that Mb Stables has for the KYD. In only his fifth start he is entitled to keep improving.

=4th Candlestick Mb Stables Bridgmohan S X

Like the winner was taken back from his wide draw but he had a far more difficult route to challenge and he did very well in the end to dead heat for fourth just over a length from the winner. His form continues to go up and down a bit but he will have earned another shot with this encouraging run.

=4th Cherokee Reward Estero Farms Pennington F

Again taken way back from the wide draw he was last of the closers and flew home with the pack to share fourth. With the race ending up as a two furlong dash for the closers it is difficult to weigh up the form and where this horse sits in the standings but i am sure he will get another try and qualification.

SUMMARY

This is one of those races that is almost impossible to read going forward. All the principals for this race went to the back as Commanding Bee made the running and as everything began to swap places we were left with a heap of horses with only four lengths between first and last and absolutely no idea which one of these will prove to come out as a leading Derby contender. At the end of the day what the race looked like will have no bearing on who got the points and DJC Racing Stables will be over the moon that his rank outsider came out on top.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES