The Crown Roys

There will be several graded races on the Friday and Saturday racing card as all eyes are turned to the Bluegrass Derby taking place on Saturday. Here we will take a look at one of the undercard races in the lead up to the feature race. This race will be The Crown Roys (G3) set over a mile and one-sixteenths over the turf. The race is open to three-year-olds only and will be offering up a total purse of $150,000. There was a small chance of rain for this week, and after a downpour earlier in the week it looks like the field will be going over a track that will be rated as good at post time, though the skies will otherwise be clear for race day, The weather may have scared some of our contenders for this year’s running away, as we will be looking at a fairly short field of ten horses. Let’s take a look through the runners. 

1. Dordillera (FR) – alibilane28 – N. Lawton – 17/1 

This French-bred will be making his second graded start of his career, though he may be an interesting one to watch on Saturday. The bay colt most recently started in Turkey during a listed stakes race over eight and a half furlongs. The colt broke sharply and settled just off the pace of the race in second. At the midway point of the race the colt would start to fall back and would eventually cross the wire in sixth, setting a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-one. His most recent win was in his start prior to that in a hot allowance in Ireland last January. He was held back more off the pace in this race but started picking off other runners fairly early, going on to win by daylight of four and a quarter lengths. The colt has started on an off track two times in his career and has won both times, both in allowance caliber races.  

2. Mavroula (JPN) – alibilane58 – Z. Kentucky – 20/1 

Next up, we have a second horse by the Oakridge Stable group who will have five entries into this race. The light grey gelding will be making his first graded start and just the fifth lifetime start of his career this Saturday. His most recent start came overseas in France during a $150,000 claiming race over eight and a quarter lengths on a good turf track. Held off the pace at the very back of the filed at the break, he wouldn’t make his move until the field reached the stretch. He rocketed forward on the off track to win by a quarter of a length while setting a lifetime best speed figure of ninety. The colt’s other three career starts have all come in hot allowance races.  

3. Thanksfortheinput (NZ) – chorwon – J. Wilson – 9/2 

Bred in New Zealand, the chestnut colt is shipping into the States from Australia where he made his most recent start in the Sydney Guineas (G1) at a mile. The son of Contributer (IRE) was out of the gate nearly last at the start and never seemed to find his stride in his first Grade I start. He would cross the wire in tenth, recording his first triple digit speed figure of one hundred for the race. His best graded finish to date was in the last race of his two-year-old season during The Philanthropist (G3) at a mile in California. His most recent win was in the start before this, a listed stakes race over seven furlongs in Australia in October of last year. He was last out of the gate in the six horse field and responded when asked at the midway point of the race to make his move. He went on to win the listed race by a length and a quarter. 

4. Valt (IRE) – plainfield – A. Jolly – 7/1 

Making the second graded start of his career, the bay son of Sea The Stars will be making his eighth lifetime start this weekend. His only graded start came in his most recent race during The No Allies (G2) at a mile and five-sixteenths in France. The colt settled into the middle of the pack after coming out of the gate, but would start to fade at the midway point in the race. He would eventually go on to cross the wire in ninth, setting a speed figure of ninety-one. The most recent win for the colt was in September of last year during an allowance race over a mile in England. The colt broke sharply and was held just off the pace in second. He would take the lead down the stretch and went on to win by a length. 

5. Budawi (ENG) – alibilane36 – T. Ace – 15/1 

Making just his sixth career start this weekend and his first start against graded company this English-bred colt is by Palace Pier. The most recent start for the bay colt came across the country during an allowance race over a mile in California. The colt settled just off the pace early in third out of the gate. At the midway point he would be caught up in a group of late closers and start to lose ground, ultimately crossing the wire in sixth, setting a speed figure of ninety-one. He put in his lifetime best speed figure during a listed stakes race over a mile last November as a two-year-old out in California, which was a ninety-two. The most recent win for the colt was last August in an allowance race in England over a mile. The colt would take the field from gate to wire to win by a length and three-quarters. 

6. Twenty Four On (ENG) – dewsweppers – F. Gossett – 5/2 

In the middle gate, this three-year-old gelding is ranked at number 9 in his division of turf sprinting. His run this Saturday will mark the bay English-bred’s first attempt at going eight and a half furlongs. The most recent start for the gelding came in early March in New York during the This Is Our Time Stakes (G1) at seven and a half furlongs on a track rated as good at post time. The gelding broke out of the gate towards the rear of the field, but quickly began to pick off other runners. He would go on to cross the wire in third, setting a speed figure of one hundred two for the race, which was a lifetime best. His most recent win was last year in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf (G1) at a mile out in California. He was placed more towards the middle of the field in this race out of the gate and began to make his move later as the field reached the midway point of the race. 

7. Privilege Plus (IRE) – lasthope1 – V. Gardner – 2/1 

Seeking the first graded start of his career, this Irish-bred light grey colt will be making his ninth career start this weekend. He has made three graded starts in his career, the most recent coming in his latest start. This was in The Doctor Is In Memorial (G3) at a mile and one sixteenth in Germany. The colt was last out of the gate in this race and lingered towards the back of the field for most of the race until they reached the stretch where the colt went to challenge the front runners. He would come home in fourth, setting a speed figure of one hundred five. His most recent win was the start before this, taking place in a listed stakes race over the same distance in Indiana. He was last out of the gate in the seven horse field, but began inching his way up midway through the race before going on to win by one and three-quarter lengths. His best graded stakes finish to date was a third place finish as a two-year-old during the Fall Stakes (G3) at a mile in England.  

8. Salvation – alibilane23 – J. Drozd – 10/1 

In the eight slot, nearing the end of our field, this brown colt will be making his first start on the turf this weekend and his second start against graded company. The most recent start for the colt came in Arkansas last March during The Rebel Yell (G3) at a mile and one sixteenth. The colt settled into the middle of the pack out of the gate but started to fall back at the midway point of the race. He would cross the wire in twelfth, setting a speed figure of ninety-one. He won his prior start in late January during an allowance race over nine furlongs in Kentucky. The colt took the field from gate to wire, securing a win by a quarter length with a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-four.  

9. Rennonton (GB) – alibilane45 – O. A. Haack – 24/1 

Taking a big step up in class for this race, the chestnut colt by Ulysses most recently started in a $7,500 claiming race over eight and a quarter lengths in Ireland. He was last out of the gate in the small five horse field. At the midway point the colt began to move up and he would go on to cross the wire in second by a neck, setting a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-three. His most recent win was August of last year during an allowance race in Newmarket at a mile. Again, sent off towards the rear of the field, he would make his move at the halfway point and went on to win by an easy three and a quarter lengths. He will be the longshot as the field goes up to the gate on Saturday. 

10. Grittrustteamwork (ENG) – atw12 – N. Labreche – 10/1 

Coming into this race off of two consecutive wins and making his first graded start this weekend, the bay three-year-old most recently started in late March during an allowance race in Italy over nine furlongs. He went straight to the front of the field leaving the gate and took the field from gate to wire, winning the race by three-quarters of a length and setting a speed figure of one hundred one. His prior win also came in another allowance race over the same distance in France. 

 Flrancho’s Picks: 

Win: Twenty Four On (ENG) 

Place: Thanksfortheinput (NZ) 

Show: Privilege Plus (IRE)