Derby Dozen: Movers and Shakers

A good amount of the derby locks have been run and we’ve got quite a bit of movement within the top 12. Among the stories from March we saw last year’s 2yo champ General Crook make his debut, Given’s bunch were plentiful in the preps, and a filly went up against the boys in the Florida Derby. As per usual this is just an opinion, not a who’s officially in post.

The Derby Dozen

1.GENERAL CROOK (UNION RAGS x BERNARDINI)

Trainer: carsoncity

(7-5-1-1)

He made his 3yo debut in the G2 Land’s End where he ran a 102 speed fig in a 3^rd place effort. He finished behind both NUKA ULTIMATUM and EYE FOR QUALITY who were both making their graded debuts that day. Maybe he needed a race to get his legs under him for the derby in May.

——————————————————————————————————————–

2. HOPKINSON FLYER (ARROGATE x A.P. INDY)

Trainer: scoobysnak

(5-5-0-0)

Having already won the G1 Vermont is 4 Lovers, his trainer elected not to run in any derby locks but instead ran in a 9.5F listed stakes where he romped yet again. He ran away from the field with ease making this his 5^th victory in a row. He looks primed and ready to go for derby day.

3. MENDO PURPLE (ROSES IN MAY x UNBRIDLED x DAMASCUS)

Trainer: 3dddz

(7-5-0-0)

He’s caught fire at the right time taking down both the G3 Scam and G1 Funky Buddha already this year. He ran a career high speed fig of 105 in the Funky Buddha and will likely make his big run from the back of the pack.

——————————————————————————————————————–

4. TITANIC GHOST (CALIFORNIA CHROME x SMART STRIKE)

Trainer: phantom3

(8-6-1-0)

Was moving late in the Vermont is 4 Lovers back in Feb but just didn’t get going quick enough to catch the winners. He was wheeled back in the G1 All Saints Derby where he closed to a head bob victory.

——————————————————————————————————————–

5. THE UNION FLYER (UNION RAGS x SEEKING THE GOLD)

Trainer: given15

Record (10-5-2-2)

He took a little while to find his form but now that he has, watch out! He stormed home to victory in the G1 Sand Castle Derby thus earning a chance to run against the best of the best in May.

——————————————————————————————————————–

6. APATHETIC GURU (DISTORTED HUMOR x SEATTLE SLEW)

Trainer: asrdistorted

Record (10-9-0-0)

Given her record and the fact that she just kicked the crap out of the boys in the Florida Derby, she should probably be higher on the list. Despite where she currently sits she looks to be a force among the boys as she currently sits in 2^nd place for points.

——————————————————————————————————————–

7. FLAVORS OF MAYHEM (UNCLE MO x SADLER’S WELLS)

Trainer: lenny18

Record (9-4-3-0)

After winning the G1 Dreams of Zambia for fun, he went on to run in the Royal Story Turf Route and won that one with ease as well. He has the points and certainly looks the part up to this point.

——————————————————————————————————————–

8. ARROGATE’S MALIBU (ARROGATE x MALIBU MOON)

Trainer: stockswami

Record (6-2-2-2)

His most recent 3^rd place finish in the G1 Vermont is 4 Lovers was more than enough to secure his spot in the Bluegrass. It looks as though he’s sitting out till the Bluegrass.

——————————————————————————————————————–

9. DERBY THEORY (BLAME x SMART STRIKE)

Trainer: amir1619

Record (6-3-2-0)

Struggled badly in the G1 Dreams of Zambia finishing 8^th by 7 but came back and had a great performance in the G1 Florida Derby finishing 2^nd by a length.

——————————————————————————————————————–

10. TARTON SQUIRT (MR SPEAKER x EL CORREDOR)

Trainer: tarton12

Record (9-4-3-1)

He’s continued to grind out the points finishing in the money, this time earning 3^rd place honors in the Florida Derby.

——————————————————————————————————————-

11. FLAT CALL (FLATTER x ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS))

Trainer: piccolo87

Record (11-5-5-0)

He ran twice in March, finishing 2^nd both times in the G2 Moises Alou and the G1 Sand Castle. He’s still one of the few that hasn’t earned a graded victory as of yet but maybe that will come in the big dance.

——————————————————————————————————————–

12. CORVO BIANCO (AWESOME AGAIN x MEDAGLIA D’ORO)

Trainer: given009

Record (Awesome Again)

He’s yet to earn that graded victory, but man he was looking good till MENDO PURPLE came storming home in the G1 Funky Buddha. He’d finish 2^nd by half a length in that one. Given looks like he’s going to give him one more shot in the G1 Arkansas Juvenile in a couple weeks.

Ousted from Last Month’s Dozen

FIERCELY FROSTED (FROSTED x DYNAFORMER)

Trainer: trooper

(6-4-1-0)

He was number 5 on the list last month but after getting obliterated in the Florida Derby he’s likely no longer on the trail to get into the Bluegrass.

——————————————————————————————————————–

JIAN YANG (JUSTIFY x TAPIT)

Trainer: asrtriplecrown

Record (8-3-2-1)

Hasn’t really done anything wrong and is more or less a victim of all of the recency. He’s set to go in the G1 California Derby this weekend. A good performance puts him back in the top 12.

——————————————————————————————————————–

BLAME THE CADET (BLAME x FORTY NINER)

Trainer: given12

(9-4-3-0)

He played catch me if you can in the Florida Derby and unlucky for him they caught him. He’d end up finishing 11^th in that one which was a big blow to his chances of getting into the derby.

——————————————————————————————————————–

IRISH WAR BOOTY (IRISH WAR CRY x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY)

Trainer: (mtk2019)

Record (9-2-3-1)

Ran a great race two back in the Vermont is 4 Lovers where he finished 2^nd,  but fell flat in the G1 Funky Buddha finishing 10^th. I didn’t see him scheduled for any locks in the near future but that’s not to say he won’t make a last minute entry.

——————————————————————————————————————–

VAR REACHING (VAR x AWESOME AGAIN)

Trainer: roxymoron

Record (8-2-4-1)

He ran very well in the G1 Dreams of Zambia finishing 2^nd but the wheels fell off in his attempt at the All Saints Derby where he’d finish 11^th.

——————————————————————————————————————–

JOEY DA K (INTO MISCHIEF x STREET CRY)

Trainer (wildriverstable)

Record (9-3-2-2)

He won a couple of graded races as a two year which might be enough to get him into the Bluegrass if his trainer really wants to push it. However, Since turning 3 he’s got an 8^th place finish in the G3 Scam and most recently finished 3^rd in an allowance race.

——————————————————————————————————————–

BIG DOME LV (DOME x BIG BROWN)

Trainer: americabiz

Record: (8-4-1-0)

Went wire to wire in the G3 Risen Star which led him to the G1 All Saints Derby. It didn’t go well in that one as he failed to get the lead and had a significant bounce where he went from a 104 to a 91.

——————————————————————————————————————–

Horses with points but don’t really fit the mold at the moment.

NOT YET REGISTERED (EL CORREDOR x TIZNOW)

Trainer: atthewire

Record (11-5-0-2)

He won two graded races as a two year old but hasn’t found that form as a 3 year old as of yet finishing 8^th in the G2 Sleepy Fan Stakes. That being said his 2 year old resume has earned him enough points to take a shot at the derby if his trainer cares to try.

——————————————————————————————————————–

BEF (GOLD SHIP (JPN) x DROSSELMEYER)

Trainer: ric804

Record (7-5-1-0)

It didn’t look like he cared for the distance in the G2 Fountain of Ute and was brought back to a mile in the G1 Marino where he wired the field posting a 106 speed fig. Again the route victory gives him the points needed to take a shot in the derby but it’s a wait and see game at the moment.

——————————————————————————————————————–

A TINY BIT (ARROGATE x DANZIG)

Trainer: givenshared2

Record: (9-5-0-0)

He’s got a G1 victory as a 2 year old winning the Back Up Battle but has struggled mightily at 3. He’s had two shots at graded as a 3yo and has finished 9^th in the All Saints Derby and 7^th in the G3 Scam. He’s already been declared for the Derby so its just a matter of will he get in.

——————————————————————————————————————–

NYQSTAY APE (NYQUIST x STAY GOLD (JPN))

Trainer: hipiloto

Record (9-3-1-1)

He won the G1 North Fork Stakes as a 2yo but his best finish as a 3yo came in the G3 Legoland where he finished 4^th. He did run 5^th in this past weekend’s G1 Sand Castle Derby so maybe he’s showing signs of life.