Trikari produced the biggest stakes upset of Kentucky Derby weekend when capturing the American Turf (G2) as a 47-1 chance. With only four rivals lining up against him in Saturday’s $727,500 Belmont Derby (G1) at Aqueduct, his chances naturally weren’t deemed quite as low. However, the Oscar Performance colt had to work hard to repel long-time leader White Palomino in the final furlong, and did so by a neck under John Velazquez.
Tracking second as White Palomino set a soft pace of :25, :50.24, and 1:14.56, Trikari proved the only horse capable of making a rally from behind in the 1 3/16-mile Belmont Derby. Poking his head in front passing the eighth pole, Trikari kept his mind on business inside the final furlong as White Palomino bravely attempted to re-rally up the inside.
“[Velazquez] said he got to waiting a little bit. He said he got there so quickly, that he kind of got to waiting a little bit,” said Graham Motion, who trains Trikari for Amerman Racing.
Trikari finished up in 1:54.71 over firm turf and paid $12.40 as the 5-1 co-third choice. White Palomino had 1 1/4 lengths on his Pennine Ridge (G2) conqueror, 3-2 favorite Legend of Time, while Royal Majesty was a half-length farther back in fourth. Endlessly trailed throughout.
The Belmont Derby was Trikari’s third stakes win of the year, having preceded his American Turf score with a neck victory in the Rushaway S. at Turfway Park. His only loss since commencing his stakes career was a neck third in the Penn Mile (G3) on May 31.
Bred in Kentucky by Michael Dlezak and Amy Boll, Trikari sold for $27,000 as an OBS October yearling and is just short of $1 million after winning four of his first seven starts. Motion said the Saratoga Derby (G1) could be the colt’s next start.
Trikari was reared by the Grade 3-winning Dynamic Holiday, a Harlan’s Holiday half-sister to four stakes winners, including Grade 2 scorer Varenka and Grade 3 heroine Lift Up.
Earlier in the card, the $186,000 Dwyer (G3) for three-year-olds was won in emphatic fashion by Domestic Product, who drew off through the stretch to win by 7 1/2 lengths from Hades, who had defeated Domestic Product earlier this season in the Holy Bull (G3).
Favored at 7-10 in the one-mile test, Domestic Product sped in the distance in a swift 1:33.54 over a fast track and paid $3.40. Hades rallied for second, five lengths ahead of pacesetter Billal. Save the Trees trailed throughout.
“I felt in control the whole race and he responded really well turning for home,” winning jockey Flavien Prat said.
Domestic Product is a homebred racing for Klaravich Stables and is trained by Chad Brown. Following his second in the Holy Bull, Domestic Product won the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) by a neck. Making little impact when 13th in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Domestic Product preceded this victory with a distant second in the Pegasus S. over 1 1/16 miles.
“I do think he’s better with the cut back in distance,” Prat added.
A Kentucky-bred, Domestic Product is by Practical Joke and out of Goods and Services, a daughter of Paynter.
