Deep field to run at 70th Manitoba Derby

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/08/2018 (2241 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The historic 70th running of the $75,000 Manitoba Derby on Monday highlights the biggest horse racing weekend of the year at Assiniboia Downs, and a packed crowd of both horse and people watchers are expected not only on Derby Day afternoon, but throughout the entire weekend.

Locally based Harry Jeffrey Stakes winner Candy Giant has been made the 5/2 morning-line favourite for Manitoba’s most prestigious race, but the Eurico Martens-owned-and-trained charge will face plenty of competition in an eight-horse field that includes four invaders from the United States.

Three three-year-olds have arrived to represent the stable of powerful trainer Robertino Diodoro in the Derby, including Gato Guapo (6-1) from Monmouth Park in New Jersey, Sky Promise (7/2) from Churchill Downs in Kentucky and United Patriot (9/2) from Canterbury Park in Minnesota. Fortified Effort (5-1) has also arrived from Arapaho Park in Colorado for top trainer Kevin Eikleberry.

Rounding out the field will be local hopefuls Eaglebine (25-1) for trainer Jack Robertson, Pete Marwick (10-1) for trainer Gary Danelson and Zack Ridge Road (15-1) for trainer Steven Gaskin.

“I could not be more satisfied with the field size and level of competition,” Assiniboia Downs CEO Darren Dunn said. “With no clear-cut standout, the race is wide open and creates all kinds of wagering opportunities. Considering the recent Prince of Wales Stakes offered a $400,000 purse and attracted six horses, it is very pleasing to see eight horses in the gate contesting our $75,000 prize offering.”

The out-of-towners are a talented bunch that will force Candy Giant and the local runners to come up with the best race of their lives to win.

Fortified Effort (5-1) comes into the Derby off a wire-to-wire victory in the Colorado Derby. The five-time stakes winner tried some of the best in the United States in the Sunland Park Derby-G3 earlier this year without success, but has now won three stakes in his last four starts.

Gato Guapo arrives off a strong, rallying win in an allowance race at Monmouth Park going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Six of his seven starts have been on the turf, but the one time he did race on the dirt at Tampa Bay Downs, he won by 12 lengths going a mile and 40 yards in a US$32,000 maiden claiming race. United Patriot was unplaced in the US$200,000 Mystic Park Derby at Canterbury, going a mile on the turf in his most recent start, but earlier won a starter allowance going a mile on the dirt at Oaklawn Park — and you all know how well local trainer Murray Duncan has done here with horses he’s claimed at Oaklawn.

Sky Promise finished fifth in a US$40,000 claiming race going1 1/16-miles on the turf at Churchill Downs in his most recent start, and was claimed out of that race. A regular turf competitor, earlier this year he finished second — beaten by only half a length in the US$75,000 John Battaglia Memorial over Turfway Park’s synthetic surface, and also rallied from last to finish sixth in the US$200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks-G3 at the same track. The latter race was run at the Manitoba Derby distance of 1 1/8 miles and could be a key factor in the outcome of Monday’s race. Most horses don’t want to run that far, at least not at top speed.

Among the locals, double sprint-stakes winner Zack Ridge Road finished fifth in Candy Giant’s Harry Jeffrey Stakes, and could rebound with a better effort. Eaglebine recently won a Maiden Special Weight race by nine impressive lengths, going six furlongs. Pete Marwick won a seven-furlong allowance race after finishing second to Candy Giant in the Harry Jeffrey.

On paper, the Derby sets up with Fortified Effort, Eaglebine, United Patriot and Zack Ridge Road on or near the lead with Gato Guapo, Candy Giant and Pete Marwick in the second flight. The best of these two groups should began a heated battle into the final turn, while Sky Promise watches patiently from the bleachers and gears up for his late run.

The only true deep closer in the field, Sky Promise will have to hope no one shakes loose and opens up into the stretch, but it is a long way to the wire at Assiniboia Downs and he might still be able to get there just in time.

Derby weekend kicks off Friday night at 7:30 p.m. with both the Debutante Stakes for two-year-old fillies and the Manitoba Oaks for three-year-old fillies, followed by a Saturday evening card bolstered by the Graduation Stakes for two-year-olds.

On Sunday, the UNREAL nine-band tribute concert starts in the afternoon followed by fireworks. On Derby Day Monday, the first race goes to the post at 1:30 p.m.

“This is our Super Bowl, and we are fortunate that people recognize that and vote with their feet in a positive fashion,” Dunn said. “Of course, it helps to add all of the extra contests and festivities that we do when we recognize the tradition that is the Manitoba Derby — it really becomes a family opportunity to attend.”

Manitoba Derby Picks?

Best of the locals: Candy Giant. Most raw talent: Gato Guapo. Best able to take advantage of the race setup: Sky Promise. Screaming and yelling permitted during stretch drives.