Midsummer Derby Attracts Only Three Louisville Derby Runners

Original article written by Alysse Peverell posted 9 years 1 week ago

With the Triple Crown wrapped up and a breather taken by participants, the Midsummer Derby (G1) highlights the second half of the season for sophomores. Only five horses have entered the race, however, and only three of those even participated in the Triple Crown. Featuring Louisville Derby (G1) and Baltimore Crown (G1) victor Castle Keep, the Midsummer Derby also expects to see Derby runner-up Mint and Derby fourth place finisher Dobra in the starting gate at the Spa.

The rest of this year’s 19-horse Derby field, however, has scattered. The most conspicuous Louisville absentee from the Midsummer Derby is Scorpio Races. After running a solid third in both the Derby and the Long Island Classic (G1), Scott Eiland opted to bring the colt back in the 1 1/8 mile Pennsylvania Derby.

“He needs a win and I'm not confident he would get a win at the Spa,” Eiland said of his decision to bypass the Midsummer Derby. “He's lost two races in a row, albeit the Derby and Long Island Classic, and I do not want him to have confidence issues for the remainder of his handicap career.”

Another key omission is Honest Talk, who finished midpack in the Derby but was an upset winner of the Long Island Classic. As his pedigree and past performances would indicate, Honest Talk is looking at a career as a marathon runner following his Classic victory. His next start off that win will be the James Bond Memorial Stakes (G1) run at a distance of two miles.

Jon Xett’s Crush sat out the Long Island Classic after his attempts at the Derby and Crown. He returned to action this past week with a victory in the Prince of Peace Stakes (G1). Xett’s other Derby runner, Ah Ha, ran second in the El Rival Decade (G2), a prep for the Midsummer Derby, but has opted to remain at nine furlongs as he takes on older horses in the Kentucky Crown Classic (G2).

Princeton was well-regarded heading into the Derby, but ran an uncharacteristically flat race to finish seventh. Eric Nalbone opted to sit out the rest of the Triple Crown following that effort. He ran a strong second to Mint in the 1 ¼ miles Queen’s Derby (G1), but will not be back for more against that foe at the Spa. Nalbone also had Iverson finish fifteenth in the Derby. Bowing out from the remainder of the classics, he regrouped with a victory in the Garden State Parkway Stakes (G3) and ran third in the Garden State Invitational (G1).

When asked why he took the paths he did with his trio, Nalbone explained, "The Midsummer Derby is just one of a number of nice mid-year prizes that you can target, so Princeton went to the Queen's Derby and Iverson to the Garden State Classic. Dobra is the one of my Derby trio in the Midsummer Derby because I like the 3-6-9 schedule and I figured Iverson would appreciate going a little shorter than Dobra."

In addition to Iverson, the Garden State Invitational also attracted two other Derby participants. Minions, who was seventh in the Derby, was a game second to Harkness. The filly, All I Can Be, regrouped off her Derby effort with a win against her own sex, before finishing fourth in another attempt at the boys.

While Susie Rydell won the Garden State Invitational with a horse who avoided the Derby and is seeking victory at the Spa with her horse who ran second in the Derby, she looked for other options with her other Derby horse in Waving. His Derby effort was followed by a flat fifth in the Long Island Classic, so the Grade 1-winner will be given a breather and chance to regroup in an allowance this week.

Successfully rebounding from the Derby in an allowance was Cast Upon the Dark. He looks to return to stakes action in the West Virginia Derby (G2). Also looking for some confidence with a conditioned race is Jolene Danner’s Aeros, who was last seen finishing ninth in the Long Island Classic. The colt’s twin brother, Aerol, skipped the rest of the Triple Crown trail and instead added a placing in the Captain Hook Stakes (G2) to his resume before a flat finish in the Idaho Memorial. Second in the Idaho Memorial was Toothless, who rebounded from subpar efforts in the Derby and Long Island Classic in the race. He looks to return to the winner’s circle against state-breds in the Golden State Classic.

Two Derby runners opted to leave the country following the Triple Crown season. Quidditch Cup left his Derby form behind and won the G1 Peurto Rico Cup and was most recently third in the Mexican Classic. Meanwhile, Triwizard Cup shipped to Panama for the Middle Stakes (G2) following runs in the Derby and Long Island Classic.

Guns Blazing is the only entrant of the 19 horses that ran in the Derby to not have resurfaced following the race.

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