14 Contenders Battle it out in the Desert for a Golden Ticket to the Bluegrass

SAND CASTLE DERBY

This Grade 1 event carries with it an automatic entry into this year’s BLUEGRASS DERBY.  It will be held on Saturday March 31st.  All entries of course are 3 year olds and they will be going a Mile and an eighth (9f) on the main track here at Dubai.  The total purse for the race will be  1,500,000.

The entries have an international flavor with 3 from Japan, 2 from South Africa, 1 from Texas, 1 from New York and 7 Kentucky breds.  5 entries were scratchbred and 1 is out of a he mare.  There are 6 graded stakes winners and 2 runners are making their first graded start.  Giant’s Causeway has sired 2 of the entries, while 8 have posted triple digit SP’s.

THE POST PARADE:

1- GOLD FROST                            (8-1)                                       Z. Kentucky

kingab trained this KY bred son of Frosted out of the Seeking The Gold mare A Moment From Gold.  Has put up 100 SP in both of his last 2 starts.  Last outing ran second in the MAGICAL MERLIN DIRT CHALLENGE which ended his 4 race win streak.  Has never missed the board in any of his 7 starts, but is making Graded Stakes debut here.

2- KARJACK                                   (7-1)                                       GD Mate

deyoto readied this KY bred son of PionnerOf The Nile out of the More Than Ready mare Street Dane.  In February at the G2- FOUNTAIN OF UTE finished second by a head after being caught but kicked out a 102 SP.  Has only the 1 graded race but has hit the board in 7 out 8 races and has 2 wins.

3- LAST ONE BARBARA             (8-1)                                     BF Abman

jakematt brings us the KY bred son of Giant’s Causeway out of the Tapit he mare Power Of Ben.  Abman gets his third trip in the stirrups after a third place in the G1- VERMONT IS 4 LOVERS posting a 103 SP.   Made 3 graded starts as a juvenile picking up a win in the G3- CHARCOAL BREEDER’S CUP.  Has 3 wins in 7 lifetime races.

4- CADET IN SEATTLE               (18-1)                                    A. Jolly

cadet will saddle the SAF bred son of Mambo In Seattle out of the Lonhro mare Black Flash Cadet.  This colt has never finished below second in any of 7 starts on dirt or turf.  Has 2 wins and 2 seconds on the main track.  Set his SP high of 98 in January here at Dubai.  Will be making his first start of any kind in stakes company.

5- PASTEL DE NATA                   (16-1)                                    M. Zeus

tees will enter the JPN bred son of Epiphaneia out of the Machiavellian mare Kurrajong.  Has 3 starts already this year.  Posting a win and a second in a pair of 60k allowances and a fifth on a sloppy track in the WESTERN GROOM DIRT STAYER.  Had his lifetime best SP of 95 last time out.  Finished 4th in only graded race the G3- PLEASURE STAKES. 

6- MINIMAL SIN                          (20-1)                                   F. Gossett

morrighan trained this JPN bred son of Sinister Minister out of the Indian Ridge mare Oblivious Indian.  Has been off since November, where he ran ninth in the G1- BREEDER’S BOWL JUVENILE with Gossett aboard.  Has 6 graded starts with 2 wins at the G3- TRICKY DELIGHTS SPECIAL and G1-NORTH FORK STAKES where he posted a 92 SP.

7- IDAINO HITO                           (13-1)                                   R. Bokie

tenpoint readied this KY scratchred son (Tapit x Danzig x Kingmambo).  Competed at EQUINICS 2018 running 10th in the DUSTY DANCE-DERBY LOCK where Bokie also had the mount ending his modest 2 race winning streak.  Came home third in the LAKE SHORE DRIVE DIRT JUVENILE with a career best 96 SP.  Has 3 wins in 9 lifetime starts.

8- SUMMER INVASION             (11-1)                                    C. Meads

trotter1 brings us the NY scratchbred son (Normandy Invasion x Summer Squall x Sovereign Dancer).  In February was caught and finished second in he ESR COMMENTATOR STAKES by 1/4 length posting a 99 SP.  Faded from 1st to 6th in both of his graded races the G3- THE LEGOLAND and G3- PLEASURE STAKES which ended a 5 race winning streak .

9- RIDGELINGS                            (15-1)                                   H. Artack

lightng99 will saddle the SAF bred scratchbred son (Kingsbarns x Indian Ridge x In Reality).  Came home 4th in the CALL OF THE WILD II at EQUINICS 2018 with Artack in the irons osting a 98 SP.  In January won the G3- SPECIAL BID STAKES.  Has 3 Graded starts in his 6 races hitting the  board in 4 while winning twice.

10- GOLD WAR FRONT              (6-1)                                     L. Radzinski

stockswami will enter this KY scratchbred son (War Front x Seeking The Gold x Deputy Minister).  In his 2 graded races, both this year, he won the G2- MOISES ALOU CAP by 2 1/2 lengths putting up a 103 SP and ran second over a sloppy track getting caught in G3- GIANT SLAYER CLASSIC.  Has never been off the board in 7 career starts with 2 victories.

11- TAP TAP TAPPING                 (6-1)                                    A. Rolling

tyedye trained this KY bred son of Tapit out of the Street Cry mare Holy Bulb.  Finished 4th in February running of G2- FOUNTAIN OF UTE which was his 7th straight graded start.  Prior race won the G3- ITS A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS by 2 3/4 lengths putting out a 102 SP.  Has 6 wins in 10 career races.  Rolling had a second and a third in previous graded rides.

12- LONG RUN NUN                   (11-1)                                     D. Givins

graywolf6 readied this JPN bred son of Dance In The Dark out of the Sunday Silence mare Silent Nun.  Ran second in g3- DUBAI 2000 GUINEAS in February here putting up a 102 SP. Only 1 other graded race and that was a ninth place in the G1- HIGH FLYER STAKES on the Turf with Givins.  Has a win and a pair of seconds in his 3 starts since switching to the dirt.

13- THE CHECKERED                 (10-1)                                   K. Ledwith

atthewire brings us the TX bred son of Bradester out of the Hard Spun mare Wheldon.  Has 2 graded starts so far this year.  A second place in the G2- MOISES ALOU CAP and won the G3- GIANT SLAYER CLASSIC on a sloppy track but had a 102 SP.  Is 8 for 8 lifetime in hitting the board while posting 2 wins. 

14- GIANT DOGWOOD                (10-1)                                    T. Ace

baggio will saddle the KY scratchbred (Giant’s Causeway x Seattle Slew x Mr. Prospector).  Last race finished 9th in G2- SLEEPY FAN STAKES but opened the year with a third in G3- LEGOLAND putting out a 101 SP.  Ace had a winning allowance ride last October.  Has hit the board in 6 out of 7 races with 3 trips to the winner’s circle.

As you can see the handicapper had a lot of headscratching going on over this one.  Nobody is better than 6-1 or worse than 20-1.  This appears to be a wide open scramble to get the golden invitation to Kentucky in May.

MY SELECTIONS:

11- TAP TAP TAPPING

13- THE CHECKERED

10- GOLD WAR FRONT

LONG SHOT SPECIAL

 # 4  CADET IN SEATTLE