An up-and-coming prospect from Southern California, a multiple Grade 3 winner from Western Canada, and a capable Gun Runner colt working in Oklahoma will clash in New Mexico on Tuesday in the $300,000 Zia Park Derby.
The 1 1/16-mile race is one of seven open-company stakes worth a total of $1.1 million on the track’s annual Land of Enchantment Day. The card includes the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks.
The Zia Derby drew 10 runners, but eight are expected to start after Generous Tipper, winner of the Discovery last out at Aqueduct, and Awesome Road were scratched from the race.
The defection could make Indispensable, who invades from Southern California, a clear favorite. He was a maiden winner in July and proceeded to run in back-to-back stakes, finishing second to Grade 1 winner Muth in the Shared Belief on Sept. 1 at Del Mar and third in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby in his most recent out Sept. 29 at Remington Park. Since his last start, Indispensable has turned in a strong series of five-furlong works at Santa Anita.
“It took him a little while to break his maiden and then he really started to come on this summer,” trainer John Sadler said. “He broke his maiden with a good rating, came back and ran very well in the Shared Belief. Really a good, strong race.
“And then we thought going to Oklahoma he would be very tough. We weren’t happy with the trip he got and so we’re giving him another chance in one of these straight 3-year-old races.”
Indispensable dueled on the lead in the Oklahoma Derby and finished third, beaten a length by Most Wanted, with a Beyer Speed Figure of 98.
“We didn’t like the trip he got in Oklahoma because he’s not a horse to be up in the front,” Sadler said. “He’s supposed to come off the pace. So, he ran good there, but we think with a better trip it will fit him better.”
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Flavien Prat will be aboard Indispensable for the first time, from post 5.
August Rain is seeking his third straight derby win for owner Peter Redekop after taking the Grade 3 Canadian Derby and Grade 3 British Columbia Derby. He is backing up from three turns on Tuesday, off his Sept. 14 win in the British Columbia Derby at Hastings and will attempt to give Redekop and trainer Blaine Wright a second win in the Zia Derby behind Alert Bay in 2014.
“Mr. Redekop always wanted to get back there with the 3-year-olds,” Wright said. “It’s one of the last chances to run with your group.”
Dimatic, a son of Gun Runner who was second in the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby in August, has been prepping at Remington Park in Oklahoma City. He worked a near-bullet five-eighths in 1:00.20 in his final Zia Derby prep Nov. 14.
Jose Ortiz has the mount for Winchell Thoroughbreds and trainer Steve Asmussen.
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Woodcourt, who was third in the Illinois Derby, also has worked well ahead of Tuesday’s race, going five-eighths in a bullet 59 seconds on Nov. 16 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He is looking for his third straight win and the Beyer of 94 he earned last out for an allowance victory at Keeneland stacks up favorable against numbers put up by Indispensable and Big City.
Big City earned a 96 for an allowance win last out at Remington.
Vlahos, who was third to eventual Preakness winner Seize the Grey in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, makes his two-turn debut in the Zia Derby.
The eclectic field also includes Alotaluck, winner of the Mine That Bird Derby in April at Sunland Park. One start prior, he was second in the Grade 3 Sunland Derby won by eventual Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold.
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