by James Scully
Preakness winner Shackleford will cut back to 1 1/16 miles in Saturday’s G2
Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park in his final prep for the Breeders’ Cup. Trainer
Dale Romans is considering both the Classic and Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs, with the
latter probably a more realistic goal, and hopes to get his charge back on track
following a disappointing eighth in the G1 Travers. Shackleford is certainly
eligible to rebound with a victory at the shorter distance, but he’ll have to
withstand a couple of surging rivals in Caleb’s Posse and Wilburn.
Shackleford is the only three-year-old to emerge unscathed after competing in
all three legs of this year’s Triple Crown. A head second in the Florida Derby,
the chestnut colt recorded a respectable fourth after setting the pace in the
Kentucky Derby. He moved forward off that effort at Pimlico, securing a
half-length victory over Derby winner Animal Kingdom, but weakened to fifth when
trying 12 furlongs in the Belmont Stakes. Following a six-week freshening,
Shackleford turned in a highly respectable effort in the G1 Haskell
Invitational, finishing second by a neck to Coil.
The 1 1/4-mile Travers proved to be a bitter disappointment for the front
runner, as Shackleford threw in the towel before reaching the conclusion of the
far turn, and Romans is willing to draw a line through the performance. Jesus
Castanon will retain the mount and Shackleford figures to be setting the pace
from post 7. There isn’t much speed in the eight-horse, $500,000 Indiana Derby
field, with Decisive Moment probably the only rival capable of applying early
pressure to the favorite.
Caleb’s Posse will enter the Indiana Derby on the upswing for trainer Donnie
Von Hemel, recording back-to-back victories in the G3 Amsterdam and G1 King’s
Bishop at Saratoga, and he gamely caught two-year-old champion Uncle Mo by a
nose in the latter. Both were sprint wins, but Caleb’s Posse has plenty of
experience around two turns, winning the G3 Ohio Derby and finishing second in
the G2 Rebel earlier this season at the 8 1/2-furlong distance. Robby Albarado
picks up the assignment on the dynamic closer.
Wilburn was unplaced in his first two stakes attempts this summer, but the
Steve Asmussen-trained colt will bring a two-race win streak into the Indiana
Derby, posting an allowance tally at Monmouth Park prior to his 1 3/4-length
decision in the September 5 Smarty Jones S. at Parx Racing. The stalker is
three-for-five at the distance and will pick up the services of Julien Leparoux.
Decisive Moment entered the Kentucky Derby off a runner-up effort to Animal
Kingdom in the G3 Spiral Stakes, but the Juan Arias trainee was no factor
finishing 14th at Churchill Downs and followed it with a sixth-place clunker in
the seven-furlong Red Legend S. at Charles Town. The dark bay colt exits a pair
of respectable efforts at Calder, winning the El Kaiser S. prior to a runner-up
in the off-the-turf Naked Greed S., and the multiple stakes winner should be
forwardly placed with a returning Daniel Centeno in the saddle.
Romans is also responsible for Friends Place, who will run coupled with
stablemate Shackleford. A maiden scorer two starts back at Ellis Park, the bay
colt will make his stakes bow off an allowance win at Hoosier. Grade 2-placed
sophomores Little Drama and Populist Politics, and maiden winner Windswept round
out the field.
One race earlier on the program, six three-year-old fillies will contest the
G2 Indiana Oaks. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will be represented in the
$200,000 race by A Z Warrior, who will be looking for her first victory since
last fall’s G1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park. The dark bay filly opened her
2011 campaign with a decent third in the G1 Santa Anita Oaks in early March, but
she wasn’t seen again under silks until the August 27 Victory Ride Stakes at
Saratoga, recording a fourth in the six-furlong event. That race served as a
tightener for A Z Warrior, who is the probable favorite Saturday with new rider
Martin Pedroza.
G2 Fair Grounds Oaks winner Daisy Devine is a threat in the 1
1/16-mile Indiana Oaks. Seventh in the Kentucky Oaks, the Andrew McKeever
trainee will be making her first appearance since a disappointing fifth as the
odds-on favorite in the G3 Iowa Oaks on June 25. Regular rider James Graham will
guide the bay lass. G3 Monmouth Oaks third-placer Withgreatpleasure and Calder
invader Nasty Rumor are also entered.
Hoosier Park will offer a total 10 stakes races on Saturday.