Big Race Recap 3539

The Derby Lock races gave us two surprise finishes. Neither of the winners of these Derby Lock races where considered top contenders until this past week. We had a couple of very nice three year old fillies win grade ones, a new arrival in the long turf division and Bom Bom maintains her dominance at two miles.

Race: 3539.5111 Sand Castle Derby — Derby Lock Prep – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Dubai
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt

In years past a runner like Pro Mon would have had a hard time making the Bluegrass Derby. In the new sim age of Derby Lock races Pro Mon secures a spot in the starting gates with a dominating performance. He reminds you a bit of Giacomo in that this was his first win since breaking his maiden in April of last year. Pro Mon had run third in a grade two as a two year old and third recently in a grade three. Both of his wins now have come on off dirt surfaces so his connections will be hoping for rain Derby week.

When the gates opened Pro Mon was towards the back of the field running more than eleven lengths off the early pace. He quickly moved up around the turn gaining fourth position less than seven lengths from the pace. Once in the stretch he exploded swallowing up the leaders and putting four lengths on them by the time he hit the wire earning a very impressive 107 speed figure.

Twelve to one Exterminate fired from the gates gaining a clear early lead. In the early stages he was two lengths clear and by the half way point was three lengths clear. He carried that three length lead into the stretch but was tiring. He had run most of the field off their feet with his quick early pace but had no answer when Pro Mon flew by him in the stretch. He would hold second by two lengths.

Indian Prospector ran an even race. He settled behind the early pace in second and chased Exterminate through the first six furlongs. At the top of the stretch he was not gaining much ground and was quickly passed by Pro Mon. He never threatened for second but held his third place position to the wire.  

Race: 3539.0214 Florida Derby — Derby Lock Prep – Grade I – $750,000
Track: Florida
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt

Sunset Mesa was on nobody’s Derby Watch lists. He had never run in a race over a mile prior to this past weekend. This is why we have Derby Lock races. In past years a win like this probably would not have been enough to get Sunset Mesa into the Bluegrass Derby. Now he cannot be denied entry, if his connections so choose Sunset Mesa will start in the Bluegrass Derby.

When the race started Sunset Mesa took up a stalking position about three lengths off the early pace. As the field rounded the turn for home Sunset Mesa took control and sprinted away to a length and three quarters lead at the top of the stretch. His lead was expanding as the speed was fading but there where a couple of closers moving quickly through the stretch. Sunset Mesa was strong enough in the stretch that he was really never threatened hitting the wire a length and three quarters in front of the second place finisher.

Gratest secured his spot in the derby with another on the board finish in a graded stakes. He is a grade two winner and he has hit the board in his last three graded tries. This past weekend he took up his usual spot towards the back of the field. He was not too far from the early pace only about eight lengths back. He made his way toward the front on the turn and kicked it up a notch in the stretch. He gained ground but could not make it up fast enough finishing two lengths behind the winner.

Listening has four straight on the board finishes in graded stakes company and is on the edge of not making the Bluegrass Derby. He is currently ranked nineteenth and a few horses are bound to pass him after this weeks races. In the past four on the board finishes in graded stakes likely got you in the Derby. He was dead last in the early stages more than fourteen lengths off the early pace. He made up some ground on the turn but was flying in the stretch making up seven lengths on the winner but having to settle for third.

Race: 3539.6215 Little Guppy Classic – Grade I – $500,000
Track: France
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and three eighths on the Turf

In the preview Questing Beast was noted as a horse to keep and eye on and he did not disappoint at thirteen to one. Now at age four he appears to have matured into one outstanding long distance turf runner. He is by the late great Rainbow Quest out of a Sadler’s Wells mare. This is Questing Beast’s first career grade one win. In the early stages he right where he would normally be found mid pack a little more than ten lengths behind the early pace. He passed horses and made up a little ground as the field was moving into the final furlongs. Once the field was in the stretch he put forth his best stride gobbling up seven lengths on Strong Belwas in the stretch to win by two lengths on the wire.

Strong Belwas found that awesome form he can flash as he scooted away on the early lead. He edged clear early and established a clear two length advantage at the half way point. He expanded his lead as the runners entered the stretch leading by five and a half lengths. He was looking good until deep stretch when Questing Beast blew by him. It was a top effort for Strong Belwas but he came up a little short.

Max California just lacked that needed punch in the end today to make an impact on the race. He still ran a good race when all was said and done but it did not appear that way during the race. He took up his normal position not too far off the early pace. He was sixth early on eight lengths off the pace. He moved up position wise but really did not make up much ground. Questing Beast went by him before they even got to the stretch. Once in the stretch he picked it up a bit but never threatened the top two finishing third four lengths better than the fourth place runner.

Race: 3539.0316 The CORRELATION COEFFICIENT Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Kentucky
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: Seven and half furlongs on the Dirt

Miscalculation may be living up to her name when it comes to a potential start in the Bluegrass Oaks. Maybe the connections do not have aspirations for the prestigious Bluegrass Oaks. If they did their undefeated prize filly does not have the stakes points to make the field because she has never run over a mile. Maybe she is being pointed to the Middle Flower.

Miscalculation earned her second grade one win in a row and sixth career start in a row to maintain her undefeated status. She was mid pack in the early stages of the race six and a half lengths off the early pace. She moved up on the turn for home and fired her best shot in the stretch. She pounced on them in the stretch quickly drawing up to the four runners in front of her and pulling away to win by a length and a half at the wire.

Mean Girl ran a hard fought second and because of her grade two win in a route as a two year old and a runner up in a grade one route as a two year old she will make the Bluegrass Oaks field. She ran a good race stalking the pace and trying to keep up with the favorite. She was just in front of Miscalculation at the top of the stretch and bore down on the pace setters but could not hold off the winner just getting second by a quarter length.

Long shot Thug Niner pressed the pace in third and took over second as the field entered the stretch. She was always pressing the pace and put in a hard fought performance. It took until deep stretch for the winner to go by and last jumps for her to get caught for second. She had to settle for third but not a bad run for a nearly twenty one long shot.   

Race: 3539.1416 The Senorita – Grade I – $500,000
Track: New Mexico
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one sixteenth on the Dirt

Sensible does exactly what she needed to do to earn a trip to the starting gate in the Bluegrass Oaks. This spectacular filly has raced ten times and has nine wins and one second. She has only tackled graded company twice in her career taking the path less traveled on her way to the Oaks. Today she was up on the pace as Nehi Orange went to the lead. She was not going to give her an easy lead. At the half mile pole she assumed the lead and started to put away Nehi Orange. At the top of the stretch she had a two length lead but Smell It was full of run. Sensible had to stay on strong all the way to the wire as the very fast closing Smell It made it close late. She persevered to win by half a length setting her up for a run in the Bluegrass Oaks.

Smell It was full of run in the late stages of this race. She was dead last early on in this race almost twelve lengths from the pace setters. She moved up a bit on the turn but did not make that big move until she got in the stretch. She was eight lengths from the pace setter when she kicked it into high gear and flew home. She would make up all but a half length having to settle for second coming up just short after her blazing stretch run.

Love Struck is another runner likely to start in the Bluegrass Oaks. She was not much of a factor in this race running pretty evenly. She was sixth in the early stages about five lengths from the pace. She would pass other runners unable to keep pace but she would not cut into the lead the winner had on her. She finished third five and a half lengths from the winner. 

Race: 3539.2216 Delaware Grade I – $500,000
Track: Delaware
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 4 years old and up
Distance: Two miles on the Dirt

Bom Bom rolled to another two mile victory as she seems to be the top long distance filly in the sim. She did not even need a top effort for her victory today. She was towards the back of the field in the early stages of the race a little more than ten lengths off the early pace. She would move up about a mile into the race and be right in the thick of things before the runners entered the stretch. Once there she was still full of run and pulled away to a four and three quarter length victory well within herself. She only earned a mere 94 speed figure but could easily have probably won by ten or more lengths.

Blinding is a runner that pressed the early pace from fourth before taking over the pace setting duties midway through the race. She just could not pick it up after that to challenge the winner in the stretch. Still her front running style put her well ahead of the rest of the field holding second by almost three lengths from the third place finisher.

Bad Stella was another runner involved with the pace in the early stages of the race. She would fall off the pace as they entered the stretch but managed to hold onto third for a grade stakes placing.