Evenly Matched Field Lines Up For Wooden Indian

Back on the road to the Bluegrass Derby (G1) with have another Derby Lock Prep race coming up this Saturday in New York, this time in the form of the Wooden Indian (G1) at a mile and an eighth on the dirt. It looks like we’ll have a close, evenly matched field for this weekends’ race, set to go off on a fast dirt track. Fourteen will go to the starting gate, all looking for their first Grade I victory. Let us take a look at this years’ contenders. 

1. Americans Indy – rubber16 – A. Scheper – 7/1 

On the rail we will have the impressively-bred brown colt, who is by American Pharoah and out of stakes winning broodmare Control Nop Delete. The colt has made just five career starts and will be making his second graded start in the Wooden Indian (G1). His most recent start was in Kentucky during The Land’s End (G2) over nine furlongs. The colt hung back in sixth for most of the race before being let loose in the stretch. However, the wire would come too soon as the colt crossed in fourth, two and a quarter lengths back. His most recent win was his prior start in a listed stakes over a mile and three sixteenths in Minnesota. 

2. Waldspirale – thezoo5 – J. Piotrowski – 9/1 

Another American Pharoah colt of exceptional bloodlines will go next into the gate, this one still looking for his first stakes win. He is out of the stakes placed broodmare Brightflame. The brown colts most recent start was in a nine furlong listed stakes race, held in Virginia on a sloppy track at nine furlongs. The colt was sent to an early lead in the race, but was caught at the wire to finish second by just a half-length, though setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred one. The colt has made a single graded start in the eight-and-a-half-furlong Club Stakes (G2) where he finished fourth. Most recently, he saw victory in a mile and an eighth allowance start in Kentucky. 

3. Golden Pyramid – shagfarms – A. Rolling – 10/1 

Making his first lifetime graded start this weekend, the brown colt, out of stakes placed broodmare Western Medal, will be making his sixth lifetime start and his coming off three consecutive wins. His most recent win was in a listed stakes over eight and a half furlongs here in New York. Set just off the pace early on in second, the colt shot forward in the stretch to win in his stakes debut by a length and a half, equaling his previous lifetime best speed figure of one hundred two. He will be facing graded competition for the first time on Saturday, as well as his first venture past eight and a half furlongs. 

4. Creator’s Choice (JPN) – checkmate14 – R. Radzinski – 9/1 

This Japanese-bred gelding is already graded placed and will be continuing to seek out his graded victory this Saturday. He is the most successful offspring out of stakes winning broodmare Fade Knocker. His most recent win was in Wyoming during a listed stakes over a mile and three sixteenths, making him one of the few in field to start at a distance longer than what they will face in the Wooden Indian (G1). The colt impressively won this listed start by two and a quarter lengths. The colt is no stranger to graded company, having started previously in the nine-furlong Minne Minoso Derby (G2) in Illinois. That start brought the colt to cross the wire third. The colt has never finished off the board and has a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred five. 

5. General Cota (AUS) – prfctdrift – V. Jennings – 6/1 

The favorite in Saturday’s race, the Australian-bred colt is venturing back to the US after a brief tour overseas.  The bay colt is the most accomplished in Saturday’s field, already attaining a Grade II win. The most recent start for the colt was overseas in Belgium during the Moises Alou Cup (G2). The colt won this race decidedly by two and a quarter lengths after setting off the pace in a stalking position. This was the colts fourth consecutive win. The colt has finished off the board just once in his career, during his first try at allowance company after breaking his maiden in his debut. 

6. Tarton Notion – hoosier13 – A. Jolly – 11/1 

In the sixth slot this bay gelding is already graded placed and is the first offspring out of the allowance winning broodmare My Missing Moon. The most recent start for the bay gelding came in The Rebel Yell (G3) at eight and a half furlongs. The gelding broke out of the gate to take an early lead but faded during the stretch to finish second by one and a quarter lengths. The gelding posted a lifetime speed figure of one hundred six, a big jump up from the ninety-three the gelding posted in his prior start in the Risen Star (G3). His most recent win was in December of his two-year-old season when he won a listed stakes over eight and half furlongs. 

7. Ziebridled – meolabarn – D. Brock – 8/1 

The second, and only other graded victor in the field for this weekends’ race, this brown gelding recently put up a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred five during his most recent start in the Gary Asher Memorial Stakes (G3). Out of the gate and held back a good distance off the pace, the gelding didn’t make a big move until coming down the stretch of the eight-and-a-half furlong race. The gelding crossed the wire in front by just half a length. The gelding has finished on the board for all but one of his career starts, and connections of the gelding are hoping he continues to improve against what will be the hardest competition he has faced so far. 

8. Cautious Humor – cbextra1 – N. Gardner – 11/1 

Working our way through the middle of the field, the striking chestnut colt is out of the late great Distorted Humor. With two graded starts under his belt so far, the colt is still looking for the elusive graded win, though he has already tasted victory at the listed level. The colts most recent start was hear in New York during the Gary Asher Memorial Stakes (G3). The colt was set just off the pace early on at the start, settling back in third, but faded badly in the stretch where he eventually crossed the wire in sixth, four- and three-quarter lengths off the pace.  His most recent win for the colt came over a mile in Illionois during a listed stakes. The lifetime best speed figure from the colt came in the Gary Asher Memorial Stakes (G3) where the colt recorded a speed figure of ninety-three.  

9. Politics At Sea – mendelssohn – T. Loesch – 11/1 

Easy to pick out of the field this weekend, the Kentucky-bred roan colt is out of the graded winning broodmare Jefe Politico and by Midshipman.  The most recent start for the striking colt was across the country in the Filipe Alou Stakes (G2) over eight and a half furlongs. The colt settled back early in seventh out of the gate but only crossed the wire in sixth, off the winner by eight and a quarter lengths. The most recent win for the colt was in a listed stakes over a mile in Colorado. The colt is graded placed, having finished third in Florida during The Good Cow (G3) over a mile. This race also brought the colt his lifetime best speed figure of ninety-nine. 

10. Yoze Toluc – yamba08 – B. Scott – 23/1 

The longshot going into the gate on Saturday will be this bay colt who is out of broodmare Dapto Luci, who made only five starts on the track before being retired and sent to the breeding shed. The colt has finished off the board only once to date. This will be the colts first start against graded competition. The most recent start for the bay colt was overseas in Italy during a eight and a half furlongs in a listed stakes, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred. The most recent win for the colt was in an allowance race over a mile in India. This will be the colts first start in the States and only his second start outside of India.  

11. Slay That Ghost – baggio – A. Craig – 10/1 

Making his ninth career start, the bay son of Ghostzapper is looking to try to secure just the second win of his career. Despite his lone victory, which came when the colt won in his maiden debut, he has placed well in several graded stakes starts. His most recent start was in Florida during the Everythings Zen (G1) over a mile on the dirt. The colt was held far off the pace in the race and rallied late in the race to finish a fast closing third, off the pace by three lengths. The colt also set a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred one. The connections of the colt are surely excited to see what the increased distance will do for this colt. 

12. Awellrespectedman – asrtapit1 – H. Artack – 14/1 

Working our way through to the latter part of the field, the light grey colt by Tapit will be making his third graded start, still gunning for his first graded win. His last start was in the eight and a half furlong Risen Star (G3) where the colt faded in the stretch to finish eleventh, beaten by eight lengths. The colt put up a lifetime best speed figure for this race of ninety-four. His only other graded stakes was in the Grade III Purchased Race for stockswami, where he finished tenth. His most recent win was in his prior start during a listed stakes across country in California, also over eight and a half furlongs. 

13. The Flash Of Steel – thezoo3 – Z. Kentucky – 10/1 

This bay colt is out of the Grade III winning broodmare Turn To Stone and by Uncle Mo. The bay colt made his most recent start in a listed stakes race over a mile in Idaho. The colt won the race in wire-to-wire fashion by a length and a half. In addition to being the colts first graded start, this will also be his first start over eight and a half furlongs, though with his pedigree, this colt should have no problem with the added distance.  

14. Whiskey Bound – beerkeg17 – R. Hansen – 11/1 

Going into the far outside post, this light grey gelding by Tapit is graded placed and has only finished off the board once in his seven lifetime starts. The geldings most recent start came in The Buccaneer Derby (G3) over a mile and a sixteenth in Florida. Tucked back into the middle of the back early on out of the gate, the gelding started to make his move in the stretch. He crossed the wire second, three and a quarter lengths off the pace from the winner. He has just one other graded start, this coming in his two-year-old season during the North Fork Stakes (G1), in which he finished twelfth. Despite this being the only off the board finish in the geldings career, his most recent win came when he broke his maiden in his debut start over seven and a half furlongs. 

Flrancho’s Picks 

Win: General Cota (AUS) 

Place: Ziebridled 

Show: Slay That Ghost