LA Derby – Grade II [KYD]
FG Race #12 1 3/16m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $1,000.000 For Three Year Olds.
Well now we are into the sharp end of KYD qualification and with a $1,000.000 prize here this is worth winning by itself. Last year’s winner oceans Of Wisdom went on to win the BEL, Hollywood Latte, the winner in 2019 won the PRK, but this race has also seen two of the game’s greats in Timepiece and Hardline take victory in a long list of great horses that have won this race over the years.
So, do we have a superstar in this year’s line up, a KYD or BC Classic winner? Let’s have a look and see.
1 Adjudication Bayou Star Farm Crawford J
The inside draw goes to the winner of the Mine That Bird Derby and that will certainly suit the new tactics that were employed to see him win that race. Previously he had run some nice races including a good maiden win on this track but had always been arriving on the scene pretty late and was struggling with both the new and the old engines on pace bias. The slower early pace in the MTB Derby though helped him keep up in a stalk position and he was too strong at the end recording a half-length win. The ability is there but he doesn’t look an easy ride and things will have to go his way if he is going to take this race.
2 Lunar Eclipse Dmc Racing Alvarado F T
The trainer will be over the moon with this draw and this improving sort will be a strong hope today. A pretty good two-year-old, he has really strengthened and improved as a three-year-old and gone from a good allowance type to a serious challenger at this level. The first clue to his improvement came in the All Star Derby where he went back from a wide draw and flew home for what was a facile two length win in the end. He proved that win was no fluke last time out when again getting back from a widish draw and finishing well to take third in the Risen Star just a length off the winner. His works aren’t setting the house on fire, but he is doing it all on the track and as long as he doesn’t get too far back should again be right in there at the finish.
3 Ben Nevis Hippyheart Velazquez J R
A promising two-year-old he ran a pretty good race in the BC Juvenile to be fifth but then disappointed in the Remsen when not handling the off track. He suffered a wide draw on seasonal reappearance in the Sham but ran a string race to be third just a neck off the win. That was an encouraging run and with a much better draw today it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him right there at the end. The trip shouldn’t be an issue and he has an in-form jockey in the saddle.
4 Terran Destiny Barcelona Farms Van Dyke D
His form doesn’t jump off the page like some, but this trainer knows how to win big races and looks like they have set this one up for a one time run at the KYD. He is another that seems to come from off the pace and was very impressive in an SA Optional Claimer last time when flying home over the nine furlongs to win going away. His works have been strong since that win, and he may just be one of the overlooked chances in this race.
5 Cross Examination Mo Mentum Farm Geroux F
This is one of those runners that always seems to get favors from the draw monster and gets yet another handy draw today. A good two-year-old he didn’t really get much notice until a closing fourth in the Holy Bull on seasonal debut and then a very handy win in the Risen Star where he used the race engine and draw perfectly to win by just under a length. He gets the same jock today so that will give him some confidence and he will be looking to stamp his KYD place here with a top three finish.
6 Royal Valor Nakamura Stables Centeno D E
The trainer knows how to win this race and like Terrain Destiny it looks like this one has been set up for this shot at getting into the KYD today and is in tip top form whilst not facing a tough race yet this season. Two from two both at overnight level he has been very impressive in both and proved that he can act on any going last time when winning in the wet. His works are very strong and have been getting better and better, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the finish at good odds.
7 Gorogue Laga Arindel Saez L
This maybe one of the early favorites for the KYD and he puts his reputation on the line today and is sure to be many peoples favorite to win. The winner of five from seven his only defeat since debut came in the BC Juvenile when running from a terrible draw and still managing second, that on its own runner good form but he was also a grade one and two winner as a juvenile and came out this year to demolish the field in the Southwest. There is no doubt he will be the likely favorite and he certainly should be, win this and we have a very strong favorite for the KYD.
8 Night Raider Mb Stables Dettori L
This gelding is the sole representative from Mb Stable which is the first time in my memory at least that we see the champion with just one runner in the KYD qualifier. He may only need the one though as this is a very useful type who looks to have a decent chance of toppling the favorite. A runner up at grade one level as a juvenile he came out on seasonal debut and won the Lecompt and then ran a strong second in the Risen Star splitting two of his rivals today.
In a race where it looks wide one beyond Gorogue Laga he could be the main danger.
9 Twin Rackets Alydar Stables Loveberry J
Won his first two including a big-ticket allowance at SAR and then ran a nice race to be second in the Hopeful and then fourth in the grade one Champagne. After those strong efforts he was disappointing in the BC Juvenile and then struggled a little in the LA Futurity and then again in the Withers. Those more recent efforts will push his SP out a bit, but I rather think there is more to this one than his recent form. Some horses always seem to get good draws and some always get bad ones and this is certainly one of those that has no luck with the draw monster being drawn into double figures in 4 of his last 5 races. I think if he can stay closer today and somehow get a decent trip, he could well be the other dark horse in this race.
10 Verrazano D J C Racing Stables Lopez P
This is a very interesting runner who probably has more scope than any other horse in the field. He took three goes to scrape home in his maiden but then looked very good when winning the Gander and has since worked a sizzling 1.36 and 2 mile. Could he be one of those later bloomers that explodes into the KYD picture? I think there is a good chance with a bit of luck from this draw.
11 Apache Rise Again Apache Warrior Eikleberry R
Gets no favors from the draw monster here but is a useful sort and shouldn’t be overlooked. Two stakes specialist, on the turf seemed to be giving the impression that he was a grass specialist, but he flew home to be third in the Rebel and that effort puts him right in the picture here. I think his best chance here may come with rain, but he is a very consistent work horse with a touch of class and will find any chinks in the armor of his rivals if he is close enough down the stretch.
12 Magical Sunset Riggins Racing Ortiz I Jr
Riggins Racing was once one of the biggest stables in the game and has just recently come back after a hiatus and looks to put one into the KYD here with their $550.000 purchase. A very close third in the Sham for the previous owner he then went to the Holy Bull for his new owner and flew home from a similar draw to be beaten just a length in third. The draw will once again make things tough for him but his works which include a 1.36 and 2 for the mile and his form suggest this trip may prove ideal for him.
13 Shoo Fly Lazy Eye Bocachica A
How many times have we seen this that the champion two-year-old gets all sorts of bad beats as a three-year-old and struggles to kick on from the heady heights of their juvenile days. The bad beats for this three-time grade one winner and BC Juvenile champion have come in the form of the draw monster so far this year, 12 in the Risen Star and wide the whole way and now 13 in this race with the prospect of a similar trip. He certainly deserves a better run, and the trainer will have learned something from his last start, so with some race engine luck it would be great to see him back in the KYD reckoning.
14 Winter Book Fractious Hernandez R M
The trouble with this time of year is that some three-year-olds are on the way up. some the way down and some not moving anywhere. This one certainly comes into the moving up category just looking at his works but with 4 starts in maidens for one nose win he would need to make a big jump today. Lots to like about him, and I think he will win good races but there is just too much going against him today against a top field.
SUMMARY
Well, there are two stand outs in this field, the BC Juvenile winner Shoo Fly and the horse he beat in that race Gorogue Laga. The draw is the big thing here but whereas Gorogue Laga has looked outstanding since his run from a wide draw in the BC is drawn 7 then Shoo Fly who was so impressive from gate 5 in the BC gets gate 13. With those two likely to be skinny odds, I would look at some each way shots who may surprise in Verrazano, Royal Valor and Terran Destiny who may be the ones most likely to surprise.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
