Correll’s Derby Contenders: No change in Top Ten

Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview —-

TRINITY, Fla. – The Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla., proved one thing; a horse could take the lead out of the gate on a speed-favoring track and not get caught.

That’s exactly what No More Time (Not This Time) did in the mile-and-a-sixteenth race, rattling off fractions of 23.52, 46.61, 1:18.81, 1:36.59 and 1:43.26 to win by more than a length after being geared down late.

Winning jockey Paco Lopez said, “The trainer told me to put on the brakes out of the gate and sit third or fourth, but my horse broke unbelievable and I let him go. The pace was a little faster than I wanted, but his first and second quarters were very natural. I had plenty of horse the whole way and when I asked him, he gave me everything.”

No More Time’s trainer Jose Francisco D’Angelo was impressed with his colt. “I really liked his last workout – it was a monster move (5 furlongs in 1:00 at Palm Meadows). There wasn’t much speed in the race today and I said we probably were going to be second or third early, but he took the lead with no problem.” When asked about his next race, D’Angelo said, “We will make the right decision for him, not for us, but if everything is in good order we’ll probably come back (for the Tampa Bay Derby) because he likes it here.”

Equibase gave No More Time a 94 speed figure.

On the West Coast at Golden Gate Fields in northern California, Endlessly won the El Camino Real Derby on fake dirt to get a free pass into the Preakness on the third Saturday in May.

In Southern California on Feb. 11 Bob Baffert unleashed two more of his talented 3-year-olds in a one-mile allowance race at Santa Anita Park. Maymun (Frosted) and Imagination (Into Mischief) were first and second out of the gate and up the backstretch. From the three-eighths pole to the wire it became a match race with Imagination gaining a slight advantage coming off the second turn. Maymun was in tight along the rail and fought back inside the sixteenth-pole to win the race by a head in 1:36.65.

I’m not going to add either of these two to my top 10 list just yet, but keep an eye out for them the next time they run.

Nysos (sire: Nyquist) was dominate in the Lewis and his Triple Crown race will be the Preakness. He is trained by Baffert.

Locked (Gun Runner) was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and is another Pletcher trainee that has been working regularly at Palm Beach Downs in Florida. He earned a 100 Beyer in the Juvenile.

Track Phantom (Quality Road) won the Lecomte on Jan. 20 at Fairgrounds in New Orleans. He received a 93 Beyer for the effort and is trained by Steve Asmussen. He has been entered in the Risen Star on Feb. 17 at Fairgrounds.

Catching Freedom (Constitution) won the Smarty Jones Stakes on Jan. 1 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. He is trained by Brad Cox and got 97 Beyer. He also has been entered in the Risen Star.

Muth (Good Magic) was second in the Juvenile and won the San Vicente on Jan. 7 at Santa Anita in Southern California. He is trained by Baffert.

Dornach (Good Magic) won the Remsen on Jan. 2 at Aqueduct, but I have never been a big fan of winter racing in New York. He did get a 99 Beyer for the effort and I think trainer Danny Gargan is taking the colt south so that may solve the winter problem.

Fierceness (City of Light) was third in the Holy Bull.

Timberlake (Into Mischief) was fourth in the Juvenile and he has had two breezes at Fair Grounds since the first of the year. Cox is the trainer.

Nash (Medaglia d’Oro) was second in the Lecomte but he didn’t threaten the winner. He is a Cox trainee.

Speak Easy (Constitution) broke his maiden at first asking on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream. He earned a 92 Beyer and he is a WinStar homebred.