A pair or regional sophomore showcases share the Saturday marquee with Horseshoe Indianapolis and Prairie Meadows putting on the same-day Indiana and Iowa Derbies. Post time for the Indiana Derby (Race 12) is scheduled for 6:41 pm ET. The Iowa Derby (Race 8) is set for 10:08 pm ET.
Let’s meet the contenders for the $300,000 Indiana Derby:
#1-WOODCOURT: Illinois Derby third-place finisher and Rebel fourth-place finisher has racked up a trio of allowance wins while seeking his first stakes. Should have ground here early and look for the path when commencing his rally.
#2-STRONGHOLD (pictured above): Determined winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby had previously found success in the Sunland Derby and parlayed those results into a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby at 35-1 odds. Likely favorite Saturday for top California trainer Phil D’Amato, who has not been shy about traveling this runner at ages 2 or 3.
#3-REAL MEN VIOLIN: The Kenny McPeek-Brian Hernandez Jr. dream season already has included a Kentucky Oaks-Kentucky Derby sweep with Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan. Stakes-placed at ages 2 and 3, this Mendelssohn colt exits a third in the Texas Derby and runner-up in the Illinois Derby. Just 1 win from 10 starts, but 5 times a runner-up.
#4-KITTY HAWK: Front-runner by Not This Time should be part of the early pace with an inner draw for trainer Victoria Oliver. Hasn’t tried a stakes in 6 previous tries and has a lone maiden score in November to his ledger. Cross-entered in the Iowa Derby.
#5-INFORMED PATRIOT: Oaklawn stakes winner must make up more than a dozen lengths on a pair of Indiana Derby rivals, EJ Won the Cup and Stronghold, from separate prior engagements. This will be the sixth straight stakes start in 2024 for this Steve Asmussen-trained son of Hard Spun. The barn won the Indiana Derby in 2011 (Wilburn).
#6-SIR GREYLIND: Lightly raced gelding by Speightster has won 2 of 3 starts, including a 1-1/16 miles starter allowance at Churchill on May 31. Trainer Grant Forster steps him up in class for his first stakes attempt while expected to be near the early pace.
#7-EJ WON THE CUP: Speedster showed a new dimension in winning the Texas Derby last out from a stalking position. California connections, Doug O’Neill-Mike Smith, make a fourth career road trip with this colt, who has won 3 of his last 4 since starting 0-6 in his career. O'Neill won the 2017 Indiana Derby with Irap. Third by 3-1/2 lengths in the Santa Anita Derby behind return rival Stronghold.
#8-DRAGOON GUARD: Like sire Arrogate, he’s a late-blooming sophomore who has won 2 of 3 starts and makes his stakes debut Saturday for trainer Brad Cox, a 2-time Indiana Derby winner. All 3 starts have been 1-turn races, including a mile allowance score at Churchill. Dam was an accomplished turf miler. Expect him on the lead or close to the pace.
Let’s meet the contenders for the $250,000 Iowa Derby:
#1-MUGATU: Preakness last-place finisher has lost 8 straight since breaking his maiden in November on Gulfstream’s synthetic track. His 4: 0-0-0 record in stakes makes him a longshot once again for trainer Jeff Engler.
#2-KITTY HAWK: Front-runner by Not This Time should be part of the early pace with an inner draw for trainer Victoria Oliver. Hasn’t tried a stakes in 6 previous tries and has a lone maiden score in November to his ledger. Cross-entered in the Indiana Derby.
#3-HENRO: Stakes debut for this Oaklawn maiden and allowance winner, who exits a Churchill allowance runner-up June 5 sprinting. Christ Hartman sends the son of Collected beyond 6-1/2 furlongs for the first time in his seventh start. Jockey Rafael Bejarano seeks a record third Iowa Derby victory.
#4-NORTHERN FLAME: Grade 2 Rebel third-place finisher seeks his first stakes victory and add to trainer Kenny McPeek’s dream 3-year-old season that’s included Mystik Dan, Thorepdo Anna et al. The barn last won the Iowa Derby in 1997 (Crafty One). Colt by Flameaway has been off the board in the Jeff Ruby, Pat Day Mile and Matt Winn in his last 3.
#5-ZATARA: Runner-up by a nose in the local prep, the Prairie Mile, standout Iowa trainer Doug Anderson takes a shot at the shipper. Anderson won this race in 2021 with Stilleto Boy. Son of Audible is 3: 1-2-0 and hasn’t done anything wrong, possessing a pair of 2-turn races over this strip to date.
#6-OKIE CLIPPER: Local maiden winner for Travis Swan Murphy exits his breakout effort while stretching out to 2 turns most recently in his fourth start. Should be part of the early pace and this sone of Constitution has distance pedigree for more if good enough.
#7-NEXT LEVEL: Colt with 1-for-11 lifetime record has trended positively of late with a third-place effort in the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill last out. Trainer Keith Desormeaux had this one good this time a year ago when third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity. Son of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Vico Rosso doesn’t lack distance ability.
#8-DIMATIC: Texas Derby runner-up for Steve Asmussen comes from a fleet of Gun Runner offspring making noise in the 3-year-old stakes ranks and beyond. Both career wins from 8 starts have come on wet tracks at Oaklawn. Asmussen is a 4-time Iowa Derby winner, including a year ago, and can set the race’s all-time mark with a fifth, passing Bob Baffert.
#9-JUST A TOUCH: Last-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby looks for a bounce-back effort more in line with his Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes runner-up that had him widely respected. Brad Cox trainee also second this spring in Aqueduct’s Gotham, showing ability around 1-turn and 2. Son of Triple Crown winner Justify. Cox won the ’18 Iowa Derby with High North (Florent Geroux also aboard).
#10-SAVE THE TREES: Lightly raced unbeaten moves into the stakes ranks off back-to-back sprint wins in Kentucky. Iowa Derby will be Mike Maker trainee’s first bid beyond 6 furlongs, while this Preservationist colt has sprinter/miler genes on the damside. Maker won the Iowa Derby in 2012 with champion Hansen. Outer post will be a challenge lacking 2-turn experience.
#11-CASCADE CRUISER: Veteran trainer Louie Roussel III of Risen Star fame some 26 years ago has this 2-time Hawthorne winner on the class rise in search of a third straight win. Stakes debut for late-running son of Catalina Cruiser.
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