All Saints Derby

The feature race on the card this weekend in Louisiana is the All Saints Derby (G1), the first Derby Lock Prep of the year. The race is, of course, open to only three-year-olds and will be run over a distance of a mile and three=-sixteenths on the dirt. With clear skies on race day, a total purse of $1,500,000 and a berth in the Bluegrass Derby (G1) on the line, the prestigious race has attracted a full field of fourteen contenders. Let’s take a look through the contenders. 

1. Local Lago – oakridge3 – A. Jolly – 9/3 

A one-time claimer, this bay colt is sired by Pomatini and is out of an allowance winning dam. Drawing the inside rail in the race this weekend the colt became graded placed in his recent start in the Risen Star Stakes (G3) here in Louisiana last month at a mile and one-sixteenth. The colt would set a lifetime best speed figure for the race of one hundred four.  His most recent win came in December of last year against listed company over the same distance across the country in California. He was forwardly placed in this spot, third out of the gate early. He would take control of the pace midway through the race and go on to win by four lengths while securing his first triple digit speed figure. He is the only runner in the field not bred in Kentucky. 

2. Nhill Alpaca – chatham08 – M. Scott – 10/1 

Making his graded stakes debut in this race, the son of the Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh is coming off a win in a listed stakes race over eight and a half furlongs on the east coast in New York late last month. The chestnut colt, who has made seven starts to date, took the field from gate to wire and won the race by  four lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred seven, which was a lifetime best for the colt. His two other lifetime wins have come in an allowance race and a maiden special weight respectively.  

3. Tap Explosives – giventest1 – O. A. Haack – 8/1 

This light grey colt is out of the million-dollar earning broodmare Explosive Road who has produced one other graded winner. The son of Tapit, the colt has made only one other start against graded company. This start came last month in The Vermont Is 4 Lovers (G1) at a mile and one-eighth. Breaking well off the pace in tenth early, the colt wouldn’t be asked to challenge other horses until late in the race. While he showed a good turn of foot down the stretch, it was only enough to get him up into fifth at the wire. The colt set a speed figure of one hundred one. His most recent win was the month prior in January during a listed stakes race in Arkansas over nine and a half furlongs. The colt was eighth out of the gate in this race and once again would make his move late in the race. He would win the listed contest by two and a half lengths, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred one, which he equaled in his most recent start. 

4. Odiseo – newmarket10 – D. Matas – 9/1 

Coming off of three consecutive wins going into this race and never finishing worse than second in any of his starts, the son of Tapit is the most inexperienced in the field with just four lifetime starts. The light grey colt will also be taking a step up in class for this start, making his first start against graded company this weekend. His most recent race came in a listed stakes race in late January in Indiana over a track that was rated as sloppy. The colt sat well of the pace at the start of this race in eighth early. He would challenge other runners early on in the race through and gradually pick his way up to the front, putting away rivals. At the midway point of the race he had taken over the pace and would go on to win by two lengths while setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred two. 

5. No Stress – asrtapit4 – N. Labreche 13/1 

Hoping he’ll rebound in this start, the connections of the light grey colt are excited for the colts sixth career start. The scratch bred son of Tapit has finished on the board in all but two of his career starts to date. The most recent start for the three-year-old came last month in Florida during The Foutain Of Ute (G2) at a mile and one-eighth. Exiting the gate and settling into eighth, the colt would fade in the stretch and drop back to tenth, setting a speed figure of ninety-six for the race, which was a lifetime best. He had much better fortune in his first and only other graded stakes start which came in October of last year during The Nashua Special (G3) over a mile in New York. The colt was more forwardly placed in this race, fourth out of the gate. He would make a last minute attempt for the front in the final furlongs but would come up short to finish second while setting a speed figure of ninety-five. His most recent win was in his debut race which took place against allowance company over a sloppy track at six and a half furlongs last April. 

6. Zulu Time – bigblueracing3 – B. F. Abman – 8/1 

Making the third graded start of his career and coming into this race off of a win, the light grey colt is by Flightline and has finished off the board only once in his career. The most recent start for the scratch-bred three-year-old came in the Risen Star Stakes (G3) at a mile and one-sixteenths here in Louisiana last month. The colt was sent out of the gate to stalk the pace early, settling into third behind the front runners out of the gate. He wasn’t asked to make his move until the final furlongs of the race where he would dig in and go on to win the race by half a length while recording a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred three. His only other graded start came last year, also here in Louisiana, was during The Sam’s Town Delta Jackpot (G3) as a two-year-old in which he finished third. 

7. Into Ol Bernie – quirt22 – M. Zeus – 10/15 

Undefeated until his most recent start, the son of Into Mischief had won five consecutive races prior to his graded stakes debut. The bay scratch bred most recently started late last month during the Gary Asher Memorial Stakes (G3) at a mile and one-sixteenth in New York. The colt was uncharacteristically far off the pace in this start at the break but did show an impressive turn of foot in the stretch but he was only able to get up to third at the wire, though he set a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred one. His prior start came against listed company in Arizona at the same distance. For the first time here he would attempt running from a little more off the pace, going on to secure the win by a length. His prior starts, all resulting in wins, saw the colt closer to the front and pressing the pace early just behind the front runners. 

8. To Shape A Dragon – dragonrider3 – Q. Cassell – 9/1 

Last seen the prior month racing in Florida during The Fountain Of Ute (G2) at a mile and one-eighth, this brown colt will be making his tenth career start. The connections of the colt are hoping he rebounds off this start, in which he would cross the wire twelfth after coming out of the gate late and setting towards the pack of the field in tenth early. He would set a speed figure for the race of ninety-two. This was the first start for the colt in which he would finish out of the money. His prior start, coming in January, was in a listed stakes race across the country in Colorado over nine and a half furlongs.  He was sent out of the gate to settle into eighth towards the rear of the field, picking up the pace in the middle of the race, and then went on to win by five and a quarter lengths. The colt is graded placed, having finished second as a two-year-old in The Ransom (G2) at a mile and one-eighth in New York. 

9. Fake North – babychicks – G. Skaggs – 11/1 

Making his eighth career start on Saturday along with his graded stakes debut, the chestnut son of Charlatan is also coming off a lifetime best speed figure in his most recent start. This start came against listed company over eight and a half furlongs in Michigan early last month. Facing an eleven-horse field, the colt was eighth out of the gate at the start, though he started challenging other runners early on in the race. He was asked to make his move in the final furlongs and crossed the wire in second while setting a speed figure of one hundred. His most recent win was in October of his two-year-old season in his last start against allowance company, which was run over the same distance on a track rated as good in California. Just off the pace early in fourth, the colt began to inch up midway through the race and would go on to win by three-quarters of a length. 

10. Arkham Deputy – dochman4 – D. Givins – 9/1 

In a field flooded by sons of Tapit, this light grey colt hopes to set himself apart as he comes into the race off his first graded placing and lifetime best speed figure in his most recent start. This start came right here in Louisiana during the Risen Star Stakes (G3) at a mile and one-sixteenths where he faced many of the other colts he will be running against in the race upcoming this weekend. Forwardly placed in the race, the colt sprang out of the gate into fourth and was asked to challenge the front runners in the final furlongs. He would cross the wire second, just a half length off the winner, and set a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred four. The most recent victory for the colt came during an allowance race in September of his two-year-old season in which he won with a similar running style.  

11. Scared To Start – beerkeg12 – R. Hansen – 12/1 

Coming into the race on Saturday off of two consecutive wins, the son of Tapit will be making his tenth career start and second start against graded company. His most recent race was last month on the west coast of California during The Scam (G3) at a mile and one-eighth. The light grey colt was positioned mid-pack out of the gate in this race before being asked to run midway through the nine-furlong run. He would go on to win the race by a quarter of a length while setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred two. His prior start was also a win, this against allowance company on the other coast in New York at the same distance in which he would take to field from gate to wire to win by three and three-quarters. 

12. Flying Medium – amir1682 – B. Wu – 7/1 

One of two horses to come into the race having already won a graded race, this son of Flightline most recently started last month during the Vermont Is 4 Lovers (G1) at a mile and one-eighth. The bay colt was placed just off the pace of the front runners, trailing them in fourth out of the gate. He would attempt to challenge midway through the race but would cross the wire in third, setting a speed figure of one hundred three, which was a lifetime best speed figure for the colt. His most recent win was in his prior start, an allowance race over nine furlongs in Mexico over a sloppy track. The colt would take the field from gate to wire in this race, winning by a very impressive ten and three-quarter lengths. His graded stakes win came in September of his two-year-old season during The Future Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs. He was further off the pace here, sixth out of the gate, before making his move midway through the race. 

13. Cashira – alibilane – T. Ace – 21/1 

The morning line longshot of Saturday’s race, the son of Cloud Computing will need to come out of his two-race slump to be competitive against the field here his weekend. Having six lifetime starts to date, the colt made his most recent last month in Florida during the Hutchingson Stakes (G2) at seven and a half furlongs. Settling into the middle of the pack out of the gate, he would start regressing at the middle of the race to cross the wire in ninth while setting a speed figure of ninety-one. His puzzling off the board finish follows a fourteenth-place finish in The Legoland (G3) at a mile the first part of the year. Prior to this the colt had been stellar throughout his two-year-old season, most recently finishing second in The Cornstalk (G3) at a mile in Kentucky over a track rated as good after coming from well off the pace at the start of the race. His most recent win was his race prior, coming last September against allowance company at eight and a quarter furlongs in which he would take the field from gate to wire and win by a daylight margin of seven and a half lengths.  

14. Held At Knifepoint – tyedye – J. Dizzle – 11/1 

Out of the Hall Of Fame inductee broodmare Oil On Top, this three-year-old light grey gelding is sired by Cyberknife. With ten lifetime starts to date, the gelding most recently started in early January during The Legoland (G3) over a mile here in Louisiana. The gelding was well off the pace at the start, tenth out of the gate early. He was asked to make his move midway through the mile long race. He would go on to cross the wire in third, setting a speed figure of one hundred one. His best finish to date against graded company was a second-place finish in the Club Stakes (G2) as a two-year-old at a mile and one-sixteenth. His most recent win came in September of last year during a listed stakes race over seven furlongs in Virginia. Settling into the middle of the pack out of the gate, again making his move at the midway point of the race, the gelding would win by a length. 

Flrancho’s Picks: 

Win: Zulu Time 

Place: Into Ol Bernie 

Show: Held At Knifepoint