Since posting an eight-length maiden win in March, Social Paranoia has run well against the best in his division the last three starts, beaten a less than a length when third in the American Turf (G2) and second in the Belmont Derby (G1) and posting a close fourth in the $1 million Saratoga Derby last out. The three-year-old colt still has upside on the turf for Todd Pletcher and Social Paranoia will be favored to earn his first stakes win in Sunday’s $600,000 Dueling Grounds Derby.
Ten sophomores will contest the 1 5/16-mile turf affair and the $350,000 Dueling Grounds Oaks shares the spotlight on the 10-race card, the penultimate program of the five-day 2019 Kentucky Downs meet.
Social Paranoia finished third in the Pilgrim (G3) while still a maiden last fall and the son of Street Boss has shown an affinity for longer distances in recent starts. Jose Ortiz will be up.
Armistice Day exits a win in the grassy Toronto Cup at Woodbine and Channel Island will make his stakes bow after a rallying third in a Saratoga turf allowance. Ry’s the Guy, a sharp turf allowance scorer at Churchill Downs two back, is eligible to run better recording an unplaced finish in his stakes debut, the Secretariat (G1) at Arlington Park. Journeyman, a gelded son of Animal Kingdom, brings a three-race win skein into a class check.
Princesa Carolina will also have Ortiz in the saddle and could go favored one race earlier in the Oaks. A gray daughter of Tapit, the Kenny McPeek pupil exits a head second in the Picker Up (G3) on the International Festival of Racing undercard at Arlington. Indigo Gin, who edged Princesa Carolina by a head in the Hatoof two back, will resume the rivalry following a sixth in the Pucker Up. Brian Hernandez Jr. rides for Eoin Harty.
Wildlife, a convincing Ellis Park turf allowance winner two back, will try to rebound after an unplaced outing in the Del Mar Oaks (G1). Repatriated is interesting in her first stakes attempt and Red Raider exits a neck second in the July 6 Martha Washington at Gulfstream Park.
