Wooden Indian – Derby Lock Prep
The feature race this weekend in New York will be the Wooden Indian (G1), a stepping stone to the Bluegrass Derby (G1) in May and a Derby Lock Prep race for the event. This highly contested race will feature a full field of fourteen three-year-old colts that will be vying for a piece of the $1,500.000 purse as well as a spot in this year’s Bluegrass Derby (G1). The race will be held over a mile and one-eighth on the dirt over a fast track for this year’s running. Let’s take a look through the contenders.
- Hard Rode – intoasr1999 – N. Labarache –13/1
With six career starts, the connections of the bay colt are hoping he gets back to form with this start. His most recent start was in February during the Vermont Is 4 Lovers (G1) at a mile and one-eighth. Breaking towards the middle of the pack in eighth, the colt never found his stride and would finish ninth with a speed figure of ninety-three in his three-year-old debut after finishing thirteenth in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile (G1) at the end of his two-year-old season. His most recent win was in August of last year during the KeggerDay Juvenile Mile (G2) in Ontario. Breaking mid-pack again in this race he would start to move forward midway through the race to win by a head at the wire.
2. Candy Squared – briana – J. Justin – 11/1
Drawing into the second gate, this bay colt will be making his second graded stakes start with this start on Saturday. His most recent start came last month in Florida during the Buccaneer Derby (G3) at a mile and one-sixteenth. Stalking the pace early in second, the colt maintained this position right up into the stretch where he would fall back to cross the wire in third while setting a speed figure of ninety-nine. His last win came during his three-year-old debut which was against listed stakes company at five furlongs in West Virginia after he stalked the pace in second and then took the lead midway through the race to win by a length and a half.
3. Caribbean D’Oro – haack07 – W. Kewmwa – 10/1
From one of the final crops of Medaglia D’Oro, the brown colt will be making his graded stakes debut with the race this weekend. His most recent race came at the end of February during a listed stakes race over eight and a half furlongs here in New York where he took the field from gate to wire to win by an impressive four lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred two, which is a lifetime best speed figure for the colt. He also won in his first trip back to the track as a three-year-old in January against allowance company over the same distance, also here in New York.
4. Get With The Times – intoasr1999 – GD Mate –16/1
The bay colt made his three-year-old debut a winning one against allowance company over eight and a half furlongs in Louisianna. Settling into a stalking position in third, the colt would start challenging other horses halfway through the race before going on to win the race by one and a quarter length with a speed figure of eighty-nine. His most recent graded start was the Movieland Futurity (G1) over the same distance in December of his two-year-old season where he would finish fourteenth after breaking late. His lone graded win to date came in the East Coast Juvenile Classic (G2) in August of last year where he came well off the pace to win by half a length.
5. John Baumann – despearly – A. Darling – 14/1
This scratch bred by Flightline has never finished off the board in his five lifetime starts. His most recent start, which was also is three-year-old debut came in his sole graded start in the Moises Alou Cap (G2) at a mile and one-sixteenth overseas in Belgium. Off the pace at the start and settling into eighth from the gate, the colt dug in late to cross the wire in third while setting a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-four. His prior start, coming in December of his two-year-old year, was the colt’s most recent win and was against allowance company over the same distance, this time in Ireland. He was closer to the pace early in this race, stalking the pace early in third. Let loose in the stretch, he would go on to win by a quarter of a length.
6. X Bolt – teamasr4 – R. Bokie – 12/1
Drawing towards the middle of the field, the bay colt will be making his ninth career start this weekend. His most recent start came here in New York during The Dark Knight Stakes (G3) this past February over a mile. Out of the gate in seventh, he started his run midway through the race but would come up short with a third-place finish while setting a speed figure of ninety-seven. His most recent win came in his prior start which was also his three-year-old debut. This race was against allowance company at eight and a half furlongs in Colorado. Closer to the pace in fifth out of the gate, he would steadily gain ground throughout the race before winning by three and a half lengths.
7. Ouyen Lakamah – sparadise02 – E. Siefert – 11/1
Coming into the race off of a win, the chestnut colt is by Authentic and out of an allowance winning dam. With seven lifetime starts, his most recent was in late February in a listed stakes race across the country in California over seven and a half furlongs. Breakout out of the gate and stalking the pace early from fourth, he began to pick up the pace midway through the race before going on to win by two lengths with a speed figure of ninety-six. He’s made only one graded start, this coming in his three-year-old debut race in January. The race was run over a mile and one-eighth in Idaho. Out of the gate farther off the pace in eighth, the colt would gain some ground midway through the race but get shuffled back in the stretch to cross the wire in ninth.
8. Flight System – kenneth07 – V. Jef – 7/1
Finishing off the board just once in his nine-race career, the son of Flightline won his most recent start which came this past February. This start came across the country in California during The Scam (G3) at a mile and one-eighth. Settling just off the pace in second out of the gate, the bay colt made a late run down the stretch to win by a neck while setting a speed figure of one hundred, a lifetime best speed figure for the colt. This was the colt’s first graded stakes win, though he had placed in his two other starts, The Legoland (G3) and The Sam’s Town Delta Jackpot (G2)
9. Demon Devourer – given20 – O. A. Haack – 5/1
The only colt in the field to already have won a Grade I start, the light grey colt is by top sire Into Mischief and is out of the Hall Of Fame dam Storm Swallower. His most recent start came on the first of last month during the Felipe Anou Stakes (G2) at a mile and one-sixteenth. Coming out of the gate neck and neck with another contender, he would settle for second before starting to fade midway through the race to a fourth-place finish while setting a speed figure of one hundred. He would win his prior start which came against listed company in January while taking the field gate to wire and winning by two and a half lengths. In his two-year-old season the colt would finish second in the Hopeless Stakes (G1) and would win the Sparkling Wine Stakes (G1), both here in New York. He would round out the year with a spot in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile (G1) with an eighth-place finish.
10. Rear Gun Kid – plano7 – C. Orza – 8/1
In the tenth slot, this brown colt who is out of one of the last crop of Medaglia d’Oro will be making his graded stakes debut. Out of an allowance winning dam, the colt has won half of his career starts and has finished off the board only once. His most recent race came in late February against listed company over nine furlongs in Wyoming. Taking the lead out of the gate, he would fade in the stretch to cross the wire in third while setting a speed figure of ninety-eight. His most recent win came here in New York during an allowance race over a mile in December of his two-year-old season where he took the field from gate to wire. He will be a likely pacesetter for Saturday.
11. Ghost In The Reins (CAN) – sjmeolaa – Ro. Lott – 8/1
Lightly raced with just four career starts, the gelding scratch bred has never finished off the board. His most recent start came here in New York during The Dark Knight Stakes (G3) at a mile. Breaking well off the pace towards the rear of the field, the gelding showed a tremendous turn of foot down the stretch as he ran down the field to win the race by a half length with a speed figure of ninety-nine. His only race which didn’t result in a win was in his stakes debut, where he would cross the wire second in the mile long listed stakes race in Massachusetts.
12. Country Classics – atw20 – E. Sharp – 9/1
Off the board just once so far in his seven lifetime starts, the chestnut son of Country House has placed against graded company but will be taking a step up in class with this weekend’s start. The colt is out of the Grade III winning dam Noodle Salad who has produced one other graded placed horse. The most recent start for the colt came early last month in Florida during the Buccaneer Derby (G3) at a mile and one-sixteenth. Taking the lead out of the gate, the colt would fall back in the stretch to cross the wire in second. He last won in December of his two-year-old season during an allowance race over a mile in Indiana in wire to wire fashion and may be a contender for a pacesetter this weekend, possibly getting into an early speed duel with Rear Gun Kid.
13. The House Of Sin – beerkeg10 – T. O’Conner – 11/1
Seeking his first graded win, the light grey gelding is by War Front, and has finished off the board only once in his career. His most recent start and only one in his three-year-old season to date was in the Fountain Of Ute (G2) in Florida over a mile and one-eighth. Breaking well off the pace near the back of the pack, the gelding made some headway in the stretch but would only cross the wire to finish ninth while setting a speed figure of ninety-two. His most recent win was in his maiden debut, also in Florida, against tough company in a nighttime Twitch race at six furlongs.
14. Belief In Dootsin – gcutty – E. Newcomb – 16/1
Last in the field is this light grey colt who got his start in the claiming ranks and has worked his way up to listed stakes company, but he will be facing a big step up in class in the race this weekend. Sired by Core Beliefs and out of an allowance-winning dam. His most recent start came overseas in Thailand against listed stakes company at eight and a half furlongs in early February. Stalking the pace in second early, he would fade in the stretch to finish eighth while setting a speed figure of ninety-three. He placed second in his only other stakes start, also a listed race, this time over the same distance in the UAE. His most recent victory came in November of his two-year-old season in an allowance race over a mile in Ireland. Taking the field from gate to wire, the light grey colt won the race by three and a quarter lengths.
Flrancho’s Picks:
Win: Demon Devourer
Place: Caribbean D’Oro
Show: Ghost In The Reins