G2 Boston Derby to Provide Class Test

A field of twelve three year-olds are set to contest the Grade 2 $300,000 Boston Derby over nine furlongs on the Maryland turf this Saturday.  Here’s the field:

1- Cozzane Hill  9/1 (zibby)

This dark gray colt is stakes winner at the distance, but his best graded stakes effort thus far is a distant fifth.  His most recent SR is 93, but he has improved off poor efforts in the past.  His lifetime top is 106.

2- The Stardust14/1 (greatnames)

This son of Generous is a multiple stakes winner and is graded stakes-placed.  He was among the top two year-old grass horses last year, and has just four starts as a three year-old.  A front-running router, he seems to have room for further improvement.  He earned a 98 SR in his last, having bounced off his lifetime top of 104 in winning an overnight stakes here in Maryland two starts back.

3- Frizione 9/1(lasthope)

A winner of seven races in 15 lifetime starts, this gray colt gets tested for class today. He comes into this race off a huge stakes win at today’s distance in which he earned a career-best 107 SR. His trainer, one of the sim’s most veteran and best, has given the colt a nice breather since that big effort in an attempt to avoid a bounce.  If all systems are go, he’ll be closing from mid-pack.

4 – Spending Bill 8/1(tnilsson)

Another seven-time winner from 15 lifetime starts, this multiple stakes-winning son of Mineshaft is also looking for his first graded stakes score.  He comes off a handy win in an allowance prep, earning a 99 SR.  His lifetime top is 102.  He should be ultra fit after a series of turf marathons and will likely be among the pace-setters.

5 – Yepes 7/1(sonsierra)

This son of Forestry has a graded stakes win to his credit, scoring in the G2 Trojan Horse over 10 furlongs in France two starts back, in which he earned a lifetime best 109 SR.  This late-runner cuts back slightly in distance for this one.

6 – Four Days Later 9/1(estreli)

This consistent stakes-winning son of Bernardini has hit the board in ten of his 12 lifetime turf starts and is graded stakes-placed.  His lifetime top is 102, earned when alone on the front end, and he registered a 96 in his most recent start.  Gets leading rider V. Elliott.

7 – Palazzo 7/1(lasthope1)

Another from the powerful dixiedotco barn, this son of Medicean reeled off six straight wins in this his three year-old season, but has struggled in graded company in his last two starts.  He has topped the 100 SR mark in three of his last four, with a career best of 104.  Should be stalking the pace under slumping rider R. Clink.

8 – Septopia 10/1 (scootboy)

This homebred colt makes his stakes debut after a convincing allowance win last time out in which he earned a career-best 103 SR.  He does his best running from behind and should have a fair pace to aim at if he’s good enough.

9 – Alberta Tornado 5/1 (holeinone)

This regally-bred son of Storm Cathas a graded stakes win to his credit, having captured the prestigious G3 Craven Stakes in front-running fashion in April (lifetime top 107).  Yet another who’ll contest the pace, and his ability to last the nine panels in top company is yet to be proven.  He’ll be sent off as the favorite despite this question mark.

10 – Northern Bay II 9/1 (supapogs9)

One of the more lightly raced colts in the race, with just 8 career starts, this stakes-winning son of North Light has shown steady progress in his three year-old campaign.  His development reached its peak with a solid stakes win two starts back in which he earned a career high 107 SR.  He bounced in his last, a Grade 1 event, despite having been freshened, and looks to move forward against another tough field in this one.  How much more room he has for development is an open question.

11 – Bux R Back 12/1 (buxnation)

Another lightly raced colt, the first and only stakes-winning son of bargain sire Valid Indy, and another that gets a class test in this contentious field.  He needed to beat just three other horses in winning an overnight route stakes in Michigan two starts back, earning a lifetime top 105 SR, then turned back to a sprint in an allowance last time out and ran second.  A return to his preferred distance will help, but he seems a cut below the best of these on paper.  The one has obvious talent but still has much to prove.

12 – Slammin’ G 6/1 (sweetie)

The second choice in the wagering is a late-developing son of Grand Slam. Campaigned on the main track in the first 17 starts of his career, he earned black type with a win over a short field in Idaho in April.  His career has taken a new turn of late, however, with two solid wins over the grass in his last two starts, both allowance races.  The last was particularly classy, as he showed new dimension in closing from well off the pace to win going away.  This ambitious spot will reveal his true class, as he has yet to beat a field of this quality on either surface.

In a competitive field of threeyear-old colts, I give a slight edge to Northern Bay, Frizione and Alberta Tornado, but none of these would be a surprise to find in the winner’s circle.  Best of luck to all.