Preview Sand Castle Derby – Derby Lock Prep
Preview Sand Castle Derby
Post Time Saturday 2:50:00 OGT
Tis the season for Derby Lock Preps to be run and with threethis weekend the picture for the first Saturday in May will become much clearerby Saturday evening. We’re starting inDubai where the richest of the lock preps is run, the two million dollar SandCastle Derby. Part of the rich SandCastle Festival that is highlighted by the six million dollar Sand CastleClassic, the Derby is run at a mile and one eighth and this year will be runover a good dirt track. There are twoprevious grade one winners in the field and a host of up and comers looking fortheir shot at the roses. Let’s take alook at the field.
#1 Under the Hammer enters off of his first stakesappearance where he ran his first triple digit speed. The Denman colt took the lead early in theTabitha Dirt Memorial and led through solid early fractions before tiring inthe stretch to finish fourth. He wasbeaten four and a quarter lengths by Big Fat Dirty Narl who is appearing nextin the Wooden Indian Stakes next weekend. Under the Hammer was unplaced in his only start over an off track.
#2 Ron the Beast is the only filly in the field and one oftwo grade one winners. The daughter ofQuiet American took the seven furlong Dell Computer Debutante last Septemberbut has only one victory in six starts since. That win came at a mile and one sixteenth in an allowance which was alsoher only route victory. Ron the Beasthas never been tried over an off track before.
#3 Trappe Cadet may be the best off track horse in the fieldwith a 4-3-1-0 record. He’s got a3-2-1-0 record for 2013, with his only loss coming by a head in anallowance. His biggest score this yearcame in a competitive residency restricted stakes race which Trappe Cadet ranaway with winning by over two lengths and a 100 speed. This ultra-quick Trappe Shot colt will almostcertainly be the early leader and he is classy enough that he could be theleader at the end as well.
#4 World Soul is a son of Kitten’s Joy who has neverfinished worse than third in five starts. He started his career on the turf but has run three strong races sinceswitching to dirt in December. He hastwo wins including an allowance at a mile and one eighth with a 97 speed. In his most recent start he made his stakesdebut and finished second by two lengths in a mile and three sixteenthscontest.
#5 Lancero made his last start here in Dubai running fifthin the Grade Three Dubai 2000 Guineas. The son of Majestic Warrior has doubled up on triple digit speeds in histwo starts this year, running a 102 in a one mile allowance victory and a 101in Guineas. The top two finishers inthat race are also in this field so Lancero has a chance to redeemhimself. Lancero won his only start onan off track which may tilt things in his favor.
#6 Regal Quality is the colt who won the Grade Three Dubai2000 Guineas in his last start. He wasmaking his graded stakes debut in that spot and scored a facile one lengthvictory with an eye-popping 106 speed. This deep closer should have a strong pace to run at in this spot andhas proven his affinity for this track. He’s never tried an off track before, his only question mark.
#7 Chance of Storms is the race favorite and the regallybred son of Empire Maker has a lot of speed and a few question marks. He’s four for four in sprints and won his2013 debut, a listed stakes, with a 111 speed. He tried a mile for the first time in his last start and finished secondin the Grade Three Dubai 2000 Guineas behind Regal Quality. His speed dropped to a 104 in that start butthat’s hardly a shabby number for this time of the year. He’s never run on an off track before and he’sgot an extra furlong to deal with but this colt is certainly imposing.
#8 Empire’s Destiny is another regally bred son of Empire Maker (he and Chanceof Storms are the only two in the race). He’s only won two races from nine starts but one of them was his mostrecent race, an allowance at one mile which he won by a head with an 89speed. That may signal a turnaround forthe colt whose pedigree suggests that he’ll get better with age anddistance. Realistically though this colthas not shown the speed that some others in this field have. He’s never been over an off track and thatmay be his best hope.
#9 Haack’s Duke ended 2012 with a bang-up performance in theGrade One Movieland Futurity where he finished third with a 100 speed. He’s only made one start since, runningseventh in the Grade Three Good Cow at one mile with a 98 speed. That race came on February 9th sohe’s had plenty of rest for this spot. He’s another who will be trying an off track for the first time.
#10 River Jack CB was a multiple graded winner as a two yearold. He closed the year out with a victoryin the Grade Two Ransom at a mile and one eighth with a 99 speed. His form has turned around completely as athree year old. The son of FusaichiPegasus has finished eleventh and ninth in his only two starts this year. He’s the first graded stakes winner out ofthe grade one winning mare River Nicole who did her best runner as an oldermare so it is far too early to give up on this talented colt.
#11 Bug a Lugs is an interesting prospect as he enters thisrace undefeated in four starts on the dirt. The son of Zabeel has never been beyond six and one half furlongs beforeand never run on an off track. He wonhis first stakes race in his last start taking a six furlong listed with a 93speed. Certainly Bug a Lugs is a nicecolt but the distance question looms large over him.
#12 Candy Pegasus is the second grade one winner in thefield. He took the North Fork Stakeslast September and hit the board in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile and the JerseyDerby subsequently. He ran his careerbest speed of 100 in the Jersey Derby which he only lost by one quarterlength. Trainer Lasix gave his CandyRide colt plenty of time off, returning on February 23rd to finishfourth in a listed stakes. He’ll have torun a big race to win here but he’s shown he’s capable in big races and heshould bounce back in his second race off a layoff.
#13 Capriles Radonsky is the lightest race in the field withonly four starts but the son of Giant’s Causeway has won them all, each moreimpressively than the last. His firstthree starts all came in sprints but he stretched out to one mile in his mostrecent start and recorded his first triple digit speed, a 102, in thatrace. If anyone can run with TrappeCadet early this colt may be the one.
#14 Week in Week Out rounds out the field and is the longestshot in the race. He has two wins fromseven starts. The son of Special Weekhas made his last two starts in Dubai, running second in a listed stakes inDecember and winning an allowance in February. He’s never tried an off track though. His career best speed is a 94 and he’ll have to really improve off that numberto be competitive here but his pedigree is solid and this is the time thatthree year olds can jump up and surprise you.
Good luck to all!