While 16 colts and geldings were entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Tropical Park
Derby (G3), only 12 will be allowed to celebrate their three-year-old birthdays
while competing in the first Derby of the new year. The overflow field features
four stakes winners among the contenders for the 1 1/8-mile turf affair, which
is part of Calder’s Grand Slam III program. The Tropical Park Derby and three
other stakes — the $100,000 Tropical Park Oaks, $100,000 Stage Door Betty H.
and $50,000 Happy New Year S. — comprise the $250,000 guaranteed Grand Slam Pick 4.
Sharing 119-pound highweight duties in the Derby will be CROWN POINT (Honor Grades),
EXCEPTIONAL RIDE (Chester House) and TURK’S RANSOM (Comic Strip). The Tropical
Park will be a reunion of sorts for Crown Point and Exceptional Ride, who first
hooked up in the Grand Canyon H. at Churchill Downs in late November. The latter
got the victory that day, with Crown Point finishing fourth, and both will be making
their first start in the Sunshine State. Turk’s
Ransom, who comes off a score in the Arthur I. Appleton Juvenile Turf S. at
Calder, will attempt to keep his two-race win streak alive with a victory in this
one.
Also in the main field are MAGNA GRADUATE (Honor Grades), who finished second in the
Kentucky Cup Juvenile S. (G3) in mid-September, and World Appeal S. hero ELUSIVE
THUNDER (Thunder Gulch).
The main field, with riders and weights, for the Tropical Park Derby is
RUNNING SURPRISE (Running Stag), Manuel Aguilar, 112; SAFELY RUN (Safely’s
Mark), Eddie Castro, 117; FIRE PATH (Tale of the Cat), Jose Santos, 112;
MEDIGATING (Fr) (Dolphin Street), Jerry Bailey, 115; Crown Point, Jose Espinoza;
Exceptional Ride, Brice Blanc; GINGER’S FELLA (Rizzi), Chris Morales, 117; Magna
Graduate, Kieren Fallon, 117; Elusive Thunder, Joe Bravo, 117; STORMY JIM (High
Yield), Javier Castellano, 117; LORD ROBYN (Robyn Dancer), Eibar Coa, 117;
and Turk’s Ransom, Cornelio Velasquez. The also-eligibles are STARSHIP ZIM (Miesque’s Son), Castellano, 112, CATCH ME (Cat Thief), Gary Boulanger, 112; DRUM MAJOR
(Dynaformer), Santos, 112; and SKIP’S SONG (Unbridled’s Song), Castro, 112.
An overflow field of 15 was entered for the Tropical
Park Oaks at Calder, but only 12 will be allowed to start in the 8 1/2-furlong
turf event. Included in the field are multiple stakes victress DANSETTA LIGHT
(Colony Light), winner of the Georgia Debutante S. last out over the track, and
DYNAMITE LASS (Dynaformer), who has easily captured her two career starts. RICH
IN SPIRIT (Repriced), heroine of the John Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf S., Three
Ring S. winner LEONA’S KNIGHT (Suave Prospect) and Dansetta Light will each
carry the highweight of 118 pounds.
Turnback the Alarm H. (G3) winner PERSONAL LEGEND (Awesome Again) will take
on the likes of Grade 1 winner PASSING SHOT (A.P. Indy) and multiple stakes
queen REDOUBLED MISS (Adhocracy) in the 1 1/16-mile Stage Door Betty, which drew
a field of seven. The Happy New Year S. will end the Grand Slam III Pick 4 when
nine three-year-old fillies break from the gate to go five furlongs on the
green.