Bourbon Lane Stable and Wayne Lynn’s Bourbon Courage bided his time in the
rear of Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000
Super
Derby at Louisiana Downs before coming with a four-wide rally rounding the
second turn and drawing off for a five-length victory under jockey Leandro
Goncalves. The Kellyn Gorder-trained sophomore was making only his sixth career
start in the 1 1/8-mile contest, and stopped the clock in 1:51 2/5 on the fast
main track.
Blueskiesnrainbows tried to wire the field, taking command out of the gate
through splits of :23, :47 and 1:12 2/5. Unfortunately, the English Channel colt
was pressed the entire way by Hero of Order to his outside and began fading in
the lane. Master Rick tracked those two in the second and launched his run in
the stretch, but Bourbon Courage came gunning down the center of the track.
The bay son of Lion Heart easily grabbed the lead and pulled away to return
$7.20, $4 and $3.60 as the 5-2 second choice.
Fly Lexis Fly, Master Rick and late-runner Rousing Sermon all hit the wire
together, with the former just getting his nose in front of Master Rick to take
second. Rousing Sermon was just a neck farther back in fourth, and was followed
under the line by Tensas Cold Front, Hero of Order Blueskiesnrainbows and Key
Donation. Mr. Bluegrass Music was fractious in the gate, rearing up before the
start, and gave way early to be distanced on the wire.
Bourbon Courage returned to the winner’s circle in this spot following a pair
of unplaced runs against graded company and a half-length second in the Grade 2
West Virginia Derby most recently on August 4. The bay sophomore opened his
career in February at Fair Grounds, breaking his maiden debut by 4 1/4 lengths
before posting a 6 3/4-length romp in an optional claimer at that New Orleans
venue on March 24.
Gorder shipped his charge to Churchill Downs to face stakes company for the
first time in the Grade 3 Derby Trial, and Bourbon Courage wound up fourth in
that one-mile contest, 3 3/4 lengths behind the winner. He then headed north to
Belmont Park and a meeting with sprinter Trinniberg in the Grade 2 Woody
Stephens, where he ran fifth on June 9.
The bay was given a brief freshening after that race and showed signs of his
previous form in the West Virginia Derby last out. A return to his winning ways
in this one boosted his career earnings to $520,345 and his line now stands at
6-3-1-0.
Bred in Kentucky by Oscar and Eloise Penn, Bourbon Courage sold for $15,000
as a Fasig-Tipton July yearling. He is out of the Carson City mare Shine Forth,
who is herself a daughter of the unraced Danzig mare Sister Crown.
Bourbon Courage’s third dam is Grade 1-placed stakes queen Six Crowns, who is
best known for producing champion, multiple Grade 1 victor and sire Chief’s
Crown as well as dual Grade 1 heroine Classic Crown. His fourth dam is champion
filly Chris Evert.
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