Coal Battle began his career last July at Evangeline Downs. September found him racing at Kentucky Downs. In October, he started at Keeneland. In November, it was back to Louisiana, Delta Downs this time, and in December, trainer Lonnie Briley sent him to Remington Park to win the Springboard Mile. Coal Battle wintered at Oaklawn, winning the Smarty Jones in January and the Rebel in February. In March, Coal Battle took a sound defeat in the Arkansas Derby, and on May 3 he checked in 11th in the Kentucky Derby. And on June 8, Coal Battle made a run at pacesetting East Avenue before fading to third in the Matt Winn at Churchill Downs.
If it’s exhausting recounting Coal Battle’s schedule, imagine how the colt might feel, and the Indiana Derby on Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis might be one battle too many.
Coal Battle is one of nine in the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby, a 1 1/16-mile dirt race. Chunk of Gold will be scratched, awaiting the West Virginia Derby or the Ellis Park Derby, trainer Ethan West said. The morning line lists Coal Battle as the 7-2 favorite, though the colt went off at 6-1 facing three in the Matt Winn and has been favored only once in those 10 starts.
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Instant Replay and Big Truzz should vie for favoritism over Coal Battle, Publisher, and Tip Top Thomas in the next wagering tier. Stretchout sprinter Master Controller looks no more than a pace factor; Shan and Brotha Keny look overmatched.
Trainer Brad Cox has won four Indiana Derbies, including the last two with Dragoon Guard and Verifying. Instant Replay could add to that tally, though he’ll do so for a new owner: Qatar-based Wathnan Racing purchased the Maximum Security colt from his breeders, Gary and Mary West, after Instant Replay captured the May 26 Texas Derby. Wathnan last year bought the Cox-trained Hit Show from the Wests, and Hit Show won the $12 million Dubai World Cup in April.
Luan Machado rides Instant Replay for the first time, but it hasn’t mattered who’s sat on the colt’s back this year. Unformed at age 2, Instant Replay has run well enough in his four starts at 3 to overcome an outside draw Saturday. He finished third in his toughest test so far, the Louisiana Derby, but even there turned in a solid, sustained run. In the Texas Derby at Lone Star, contested over a sloppy track, Instant Replay showed improved positional pace, and when he made the lead earlier and easier than usual, he appeared to idle.
“He’s been consistent the last few,” Cox said. “Last time, he sat a little closer than he has been. I don’t know how much pace was in that race.”
Big Truzz will be scratched from the Iowa Derby to make his two-turn debut in Indiana, according to trainer Brian Lynch. Lynch said he’s excited trying Big Truzz in his first route and looks forward to seeing the grand-looking Justify colt on a fast track after he raced in the slop at Churchill in May and the mud at Saratoga.
After Big Truzz scored an eye-catching debut win over 6 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland, he loomed a winner at the furlong grounds in a Churchill allowance race before Patch Adams turned him back and pulled away late. Patch Adams beat Big Truzz by 5 1/2 lengths in the Woody Stephens at Saratoga, where Big Truzz raced in a tight spot on the backstretch and got bogged down along the fence his entire trip.
Publisher, still a maiden after eight races, beat Coal Battle by 4 1/2 lengths when second in the Arkansas Derby. He returns to action two months after an uncompetitive Derby performance and has been working in company with Iowa Derby favorite Magnitude.
“They’ve put in some excellent works,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I feel that Publisher is coming into himself. I like where his focus is in training. He’s always been a docile horse, but he’s seen everything there is to see in a horse race right up and into the Derby.”
Tip Top Thomas, a flashy Aqueduct one-turn mile allowance winner last out, ships from New York for trainer Todd Pletcher, who has run only four horses at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and whose lone Indiana Derby starter was Micromanage, fourth in 2013.
Tip Top Thomas could fall victim to a pace battle with Master Controller. Coal Battle could be attacking one bridge too far.
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