VA Derby – Grade III
CNL Race #1 1 1/8m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $300.000 For Three Year Olds.

With Arindel and Mb Stables going head to head at SAR it leaves this very nice mid week prize to the other top stables to fight out and they are all represented here. Just six runners probably because of those big meets at DMR and SAR sapping the division this is an open race and invites that second string turf three year old to take this big pot. Here is how they line up:

1 Red Serengeti TwinTowersRacing Velazquez J R

Whilst the rest of the field have had varying success at the top level this is the odd one out as he has never raced beyond one win allowance level. You would think that on work and race times that would be obvious but it is less so here at HRP and with the advantage of the ace draw you would be a fool to overlook this one just because its form doesn’t look good enough. To be brutally honest his three efforts on turf look a long way from good enough for anything but last but this stable and this game have managed to find a win with that sort of statistic so i am loathed to say he has no chance.

2 Inspector Gadget Nakamura Stables Luzzi L J

He has put together a plethora of performances that range from brilliant to ordinary but his best from the best draw may well be good enough to see him home in this race. After having a go at TC qualification he came back to turf to run a close sixth in the American Turf and then a great second in the PEN Mile. The notorious HRP slow start put paid to his chances in the first 100yards of the BEL Derby but he came back for a good second in the National Museum Of Racing. He has a little to find on BEL Derby form with Keeper Of Time but that horse enjoyed a great start and the perfect trip so i expect this one to be far more competitive in this small field.

3 Oh Brother Rampage Stable Ortiz I Jr

Burst onto the scene with a solid win in the American Derby on an off track and then got stuck with a poor draw in the SAR Derby so its is hard to weigh up whether that improved effort was because of the soft turf or because he has found his improvement curve. His works since have been solid and a wet track really enhances his chances but the jury is out on a dry track and we will have to wait and see where this one is going.

4 Keeper Of Time Smokey Stover Gutierrez Mario

A great second as a three year old in the San Francisco Mile back in April he went on to run a cracking race in the BEL Derby to be beaten a nose after a perfect stalking trip. Things went wrong in the SAR Derby last time but we all know that in these big fields anything can happen and it is impossible to really evaluate that form, Creepy Risk for example was behind him in the Bel Derby and in front of him in the SAR Derby but with the draw situation you would expect this one to come out on top today. He will probably start favorite with his trainers form and his own achievements and it may be as simple as just going with him for the win.

5 Penal Hockey Party Maxmillion Farm Houghton T D

Another demonstration of the complexities of trying to find consistency in these big fields this one ran an awful race in the BEL Derby from a poor draw and then ran a cracker to win the Secretariat from a good draw next out. Off the pace in the first effort and on the pace in his last it looks like he will be ridden forward again today and sometimes in these small fields the leaders can slip away. He is certainly working well enough and comes from the Turf King Stable so looks to me like a winning chance.

6 Creepy Risk Fractious Saez L

Won the Transylvania and The America Turf really nicely but since then in three starts he has not really kicked on from those performances. A fair sixth in the PEN Mile he was in the crowds in the BEL Derby from the ace draw so had little chance and then in his last run in the SAR Derby tried leading from the ace draw only to weaken pretty quickly. His works are still strong but one feels he is just waiting for his improvement curve to start climbing again and none of us can tell when that happens so we will just have to watch and take note today.

SUMMARY

Not a field full of superstars but one that has a few with the potential to become one if they can find some consistency. Keeper Of Time has the recent form to win but i rather like Inspector Gadget to get his revenge today. Penal Hockey Party comes from the right stable and may end up taking them both if the race engine works for him.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES