Bluegrass Derby Spot on the Line in Equinics Finless Porpoise

The Bluegrass Derby season starts early this year as the first Derby-Lock Prep is in the Equinics. The mile and an eighth Finless Porpoise is for three year old colts and geldings and has attracted a full field of sixteen aspirants representing the best residencies in the game. The standout runner in the field is Hagridden an undefeated champion. Every trainer I spoke with mentioned him as the horse to beat although he has not started since winning the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile last November. That may provide an opening for one of the other colts in this spot, all of whom have more recent form. Let’s take a look at them.

#1 Crafty Solomini 15/1

Kicking off the field is the representative for Only Stayers, Crafty Solomini. The colt is a scratchbred son of Solomini x Crafty Prospector x El Gran Senor. He’s won half of his six starts including two route runs. He broke his maiden last August going a mile and added a very impressive allowance win two starts later in November. In that mile and a sixteenth race he lollygagged at the back of the pack allowing the front runner to get an over eleven length head start in what was a compact field of five. Crafty Solomini put in a sustained run around the turn and into the stretch winning by over two lengths with a 94 speed. That was good enough to get him an entry in a grade three where he faced a full field of fourteen. He was last early on but was actually closer to the early leaders, about three lengths closer than he had been at any of the first three calls in his prior race. It wasn’t quite enough to put him in the winners’ circle that day as he ran third beaten just a length and a quarter but he made a nice jump up in both company as well as speed, a 100 this time. That race came on December 26^th so hes had a good chance to improve here.

Trainer’s Comment – “He’s a nice colt and I thought his last run was excellent. He looks like he wants it a bit further and finished the race off nicely. Way up in grade here and Hagridden will obviously take some beating but I’m hoping he can pick up some points which will give him the chance to maybe sneak into a Derby lock race later on.

#2 A Kings Court 7/1

A Kings Court is a scratchbred son of Justify x A.P. Indy x Alydar and represents the Empire State Racing residency. He made his first three starts in a residency contest called The ESR Road to the Bluegrass Derby. The first race was a maiden going a mile with the next two starts being mile and a sixteenth listed races. He won the first, was second in the next and clobbered the field in the last race. In those races his speeds increased nicely from 86 to 93 to 99. He tended to sit about five to six lengths off the early pace before putting in his bid. He’s only made one start outside of the residency competition and that came on January 15^th. He tried a listed at a mile and a sixteenth although he faced only five other rivals there. Using his patented style he sat back before making a good run to take the lead down the stretch and win by over two lengths with a 101 speed.

Trainer’s Comment – “My colt in this race is A Kings Court. He started his career in a rez contest race and has went on from there. The name comes from a game I invented as a youngster many, many years ago. He is a Derby hopeful of mine, but this will be a very difficult spot, especially with Lenny’s undefeated two-year old champ Hagridden in the field. It is an honor to represent my rez and I hope to do them proud.

#3 Broken Cielo 11/1

The first of our five prior graded stakes winners is Broken Cielo who represents All Stars Racing. The scratchbred gelding by Broken Vow x Unfuwain x Conquistador Cielo has two wins at that level in his two most recent starts. Overall he’s won four of six and has never been off the board and is three for three routing. In September he won a first level allowance at a mile and a sixteenth while going wire to wire with a 92 speed. Coming back a month later in the Grade Three Skeye Jameson Memorial at the same distance he scampered over an off track here in Vermont to win by almost two lengths with a 100 speed. Off of that big run his connections shipped him across the country to end his juvenile campaign with a win in the Grade One Movieland Futurity. He manhandled a full field in that spot giving them no purchase as he lead from the get and won by a length and three quarters with a 102 speed. This will be his first start since that one which came in mid-December.

#4 Speightfully 14/1

As if it couldn’t be determined by his name, Speightfully is a scratchbred son of Speightstown x A.P. Indy x Seeking the Gold. He is representing Midas here today. Speightfully broke his maiden last May going six and a half furlongs and his connections thought he was stakes quality, jumping him straight up in company. He did not hit the board in sprint stakes although he was a solid fourth in a grade two going seven furlongs. His last two starts have really show the promise this colt had from the starts and not coincidentally those have been his only two route runs. In October he tried a mile for the first time. He was last early on and at the halfway point it looked like perhaps he wasn’t going to like the extra distance as his jockey had to really start scrubbing on him to make a run. Even with that encouragement it took some distance for the light to go on – but when it did Speightfully came flying down the stretch, closing almost five lengths in the shadow the wire to lose by less than a length while second. His speed jumped up ten points from his prior run in a sprint to a 96. The colt had a similar run last out in another listed at a mile and a sixteenth. This time it didn’t take quite as much work to get him moving but he had fallen significantly further away from the front end in the early running. Even with his sustained bid he fell short by three quarters of a length and again ran a 96 speed. Interestingly that run came on December 5^th so he’s had more time off than the majority of this field. When this colt finally puts all the pieces together he’s going to be a very dangerous member of his generation.

Trainer’s Comment – Colt that loves to come from behind. I think he will enjoy the added distance and hopefully earn himself some Derby points. He will be coming off a bit of a break so I am hopeful he will show a nice jump in his first start as a three year old.

#5 My First Gunnevara 9/1

Another whose sire needs no introduction is My First Gunnevara by Gunnevara. The gelding is out of a stakes winning A.P. Indy x Mr. Prospector mare. He is her eleventh foal and first graded winner, although he does have two stakes winning half siblings. My First Gunnevara began his career in a strong way sprinting but his last three starts have all come at a mile and a sixteenth and have just been sensational. He made his listed debut three back and scored a facile wire to wire victory with a 93 speed in October. Returning in early December he tried a grade three where he battled for the early lead before putting away his rival around the turn, only to tire late and be caught late although he held on for second and ran a 97 speed. He made his 2022 debut in the Grade Three Giant Slayer Classic on January 22^nd and showed a new dimension. Instead of being right on the early pace he sat back in fourth before making a killer move around the turn and holding strong down the stretch to win by a length with a 103 speed.

#6 Smothered Mate 12/1

Smothered Mate represnts Elite Racing Club here. He’s a scratchbred son of Caravaggio x Broad Brush x Affirmed. Interestingly all ten of the colt’s starts have come on the dirt, even though his sire never ran on the surface and Affirmed was famous for his turf-loving offspring (Broad Brush does tend dirt in the game but has had his success with turf runners as well). Still Smothered Mate has been very successful so far in his career. Last October he scored the biggest victory of his career in a seven furlong listed which he won by coming from about five lengths off the early pace to win by a half length. He followed that up with a narrow loss in a listed going a mile which saw him a bit further back early on before closing to just miss by three quarters of a length while running a 94 speed. Smothered Mate’s subsequent two starts both came in graded runs and in both starts he ran 96 speeds but could only finish fifth in the Grade One Movieland Futurity and the Grade Three Legoland. In both of those spots he was even further back in the early running than he had been in his one mile listed run (about twelve lengths versus just over eight). If his connection’s can teach him to sit a bit closer early on his late kick might serve him very well.

#7 Kepler War Lord 26/1

Representing the Euros in this spot is Kepler War Lord. The son of War Front is out of an Awesome Again x Mr. Prospector mare who has been very good in the shed having produced two stakes winners and a stakes placed runner from her five foals older than Kepler War Lord. He is from the family of grade one winners Kepler Prochantt, Kepler Gnaget and Kepler Nippon. Kepler War Lord has not been off the board in his six starts but it wasn’t until December that he finally broke through and scored a maiden win. That race came at a mile and saw him sit less than a length off the early lead before motoring up to win by just under a length with an 84 speed. He made his next start on January 22^nd in a one mile allowance and this time led wire to wire to win with a 94 speed. This colt certainly has a deep family to lean on and may become a graded winner in time but this is a tough spot to make his stakes debut in.

#8 Venezolanisimo 12/1

One of only two runners with just three starts under their belt is Venezolanisimo, a colt by Tapit out of a stakes winning Awesome Again x Storm Cat mare. He is her first foal. All three of Venezolanisimo’s starts have come at a mile and a sixteenth. This colt represents Latinos Del Mundo. He began his career in September with a second place finish before breaking his maiden in his next start at the end of October. In the first race he sat back off the early pace but in his win he was much sharper in the early stages of the race, running right up with the leaders before powering away from them around the turn and holding steady down the stretch. In his only other start Venezolanisimo ran in a residency restricted allowance on January 15^th. Again he sat in the catbird’s seat early on before putting in a powerful run and winning easily. He ran a 98 speed in that spot.

#9 Grinning Pirate 7/1

Grinning Pirate is a son of More Than Ready and based on the grade two winning Distorted Humor x Broad Brush hemare Sarcastic Pirate. A millionaire and multiple graded stakes winner, Sarcastic Pirate did his best running at this distance. Grinning Pirate represents Northwest Connection in this spot. He too is a millionaire and his recent form has been just shy of brilliant. His last five starts have all come in graded routes (including three at the top level) and he’s got one win and four seconds. His win came in the one mile Grade Three Trixy Delight’s Special and his placings include the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile. He’s run three triple digit speeds in a row topped by a 102 in his most recent starts, the Grade Two Giant Slayer Classic which came on January 22^nd. This colt tends to sit in the second flight of runners before making his move. He needs to find a way to break through his seconditis but he’s already got enough points to make the ultimate goal – the Bluegrass Derby.

#10 Cape of No Good 11/1

Canadian-bred Cape of No Good is a son of Cape Canaveral out of an A.P. Indy x Deputy Minister mare and is her most successful foal. In addition to being bred in Canada he represents the Canadian Thoroughbred Residency. He’s a cracking five for six sprinting, including a listed win in his most recent start on January 23^rd but his best run came in November going a mile and a sixteenth. In that spot he tried the Grade Two Club Stakes (his graded debut). He sat midpack early on before unleashing a furious run that saw him come up just a head short while running a 100 speed. He followed that up with a run on New Year’s Day in a grade three but was flat in that spot. The move to prep in a sprint for this race is an interesting one but with two starts in January one wonders if this colt may be coming back a little too soon in this spot.

#11 Emerald Claw 13/1

Representing hosts Universal Racing Club is Emerald Claw a son of Tapit. He is the first foal out of a graded placed, stakes winning City Zip x Curlin mare who did her best running around a mile and a sixteenth. Emerald Claw is another runner with just three starts under his belt but all three have been very impressive. He won his first two races, both at one mile in a maiden and a first level allowance. In each run he found himself next to last early on but won going away by a length and a half and two and a quarter lengths respectively. Off that allowance win he earned a berth in the Grade Three HNY from Rwhisper on January 1^st. He was twelfth early on but was actually a bit closer to the pacesetters at the second call than he had been in his prior two runs. Emerald Claw again made a sustained run but this time came up about two lengths short although he ran a very strong 100 speed. This gem lost no luster in that run and could easily see his star rise even further here.

Trainer’s Comment – “Emerald Claw is a Dungeouns and Dragons themed name. It’s the name of an organization that supports Ernadis, a half-elf/half-dragon that was turned into a Lich by her mother because she bore the Mark of Death which was hunted by both Elves and Dragons. He has the pedigree, ascending career trajectory and relevant SP time but I mean, come on this field is so loaded including obviously an undefeated BB Juvy winner. This is like betting on a single number at roulette. If you win there is elation since you know you have a Derby capable horse. But realistically I’m gonna lose.”

#12 Hagridden 11/1

Last season’s Champion Two Year Old Dirt is Hagridden. He’s a scratchbred son of Medgalia D’oro x Unbridled x Alydar and is undefeated in five starts. This colt represents GR Simsters. Hagridden has not started since winning the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile on November 6^th but he really hasn’t needed to. He locked up the championship in that spot, his second grade one in a row and his connections wanted him to be fresh for a run at the three year old classics. Hagridden’s last two starts saw him free-wheeling on the front end which may be difficult to do in this spot with some other quality early speed. But that could have been said of the Breeders’ Bowl too and it didn’t slow Hagridden one bit. He did win an allowance while battling for the early lead while third so he doesn’t need to be the early leader but he certainly prefers it that way.

#13 Tongan Throne 15/1

Tongan Throne is a son of Twirling Candy out of a stakes winning Shamardal x Nijinsky II mare. She preferred dirt routes in spite of her very turfy pedigree and Tongan Throne is her eighth foal and first stakes winner. He represents British and European Racing Club. He has an interesting past performance line – he’s got class as he won a listed sprinting but he’s only routed once in his career. That race came in his most recent start on January 29^th when he contested a listed at a mile and a sixteenth. Tongan Throne sat just off the early leader there, keeping pressure but not in a head to head battle before passing his rival around the far turn. As he hit the stretch he became a bit leg weary and allowed two closers to pass him but he held well to finish third by a length and three quarters. He ran a career best 98 speed that day. Interestingly his style in that run was much more aggressive than his sprint races where he typically sat further back. It is doubtful that he will be that close to the early leaders in this spot and his tractability will be an asset here.

Trainer’s Comment – “I am looking forward to watch one of my best 3yos here. Though I know that he’s more an outsider next to the best 2yos of 2021. he’s a best offspring of his dam, but I expect him to be decent at stakes races. The graded level is probably out of his skills. Also I am convinced he would probably be strongest at a mile and 9f could be a bit long for him. Nevertheless he is here not to win but to take part. That’s Olympics though after all isn’t it?”

#14 Tex O’War 10/1

The third Tapit colt entered in this race is Tex O’War, a scratchbred with a Kingmambo x A.P. Indy backend. He represents DelPenn National. He’s been first or second in his five career starts, four of which have come in routes. After breaking his maiden and winning a first level allowance Tex O’War was jumped into the deep end, making his stakes debut in the Grade Two Golden Nuggest Futurity at one mile. He Sat midpack there before finishing a very good second, beaten only a quarter of a length. He came even closer in his next start, the Grade Two Spirit of Texas going a sixteenth of a mile further. In that spot he sat closer to the early pace while third. He battled down the lane but came up a neck short while running a 97 speed. Tex O’War’s most recent race came the second week of January. In that run he dropped down to a listed but increased the distance to a mile and three sixteenths. He allowed the early leaders to sprint ahead of him but took the lead decisively around the far turn and coasted down the stretch to win by almost four lengths with another 97 speed. Dropping down in distance may make him a very sharp play today.

#15 Go Left 8/1

The second grade one winner in the field is Go Left, a son of Dubawis out of a grade three winning Giant’s Causeway x Distorted Humor mare. Go Left’s dam Left Alone was at her best going a mile on the turf but she was also capable on the dirt. In the shed she has been spectacular as six of her seven foals are stakes winners, three of whom are graded stakes winners. One might assume that this representative for The Mecca would be a great turf runner but he has never started on the surface. His grade one win came in August when he took the seven furlong Dell Computer Futurity. He followed that up with his first route run, an allowance. That served as a prep for the Breeders’ Bowl where he finished third after tracking Hagridden in the early stages. He ran a 100 speed in that spot, a number he easily eclipsed in his next start. That came two months later on January 8^th when he contested the one mile Grade Three Legoland. In that race he again sat off the early lead but made a huge run to blow the field off their feet by over two lengths while running a 106 speed.

#16 The Way To Magic 27/1

Although the longest shot in the field, The Way To Magic certainly has the class to compete in this spot. The representative of Hoosier Racing is a son of Good Magic out of a Tapit x Awesome Again mare and is her first stakes winner. The Way To Magic enters off three straight victories including a non-traditional prep race. That came a month ago in a seven furlong hot race which he won easily. Prior to that he had made four starts at a mile or a mile and a sixteenth which resulted in three wins. The biggest win in that skein came in December when he won a listed stakes with a 98 speed. His typical running style is to sit well off the pace and make one big run.

Good luck to all and congratulations on representing your residencies!