The Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby June 21 at Thistledown drew a discipline of 10, together with 4 3-year-olds who gained or positioned in stakes races this yr. Intelligent Once more is considered one of two from that quartet which have gained a stakes race as he was victorious within the Sizzling Springs Stakes in March earlier than a ninth-place end within the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes final month. Mo Plex is the opposite 2025 stakes winner, having gained the Bay Shore Stakes in his most up-to-date begin in April, though that race was run on the shorter distance of seven furlongs. Chunk of Gold, who completed ninth within the Kentucky Derby Introduced by Woodford Reserve final month, beforehand completed second in each the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes and Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby. McAfee enters the Ohio Derby following a runner-up effort within the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes in Could. Grasp Controller returned from a 6 ½-month layoff to earn the primary win of his profession final month and is working in stakes race for the primary time. Among the many relaxation, Capo Luco gained an allowance race at Thistledown June 11, with Extradition ending third in that race. Curvino has gained as soon as in 12 profession begins and completed sixth in his lone earlier begin in a stakes race. Bohemian Model was claimed for $12,500 in his most up-to-date begin and seems overmatched. Brereton’s Baytown was eighth within the Peter Pan and in addition seems overmatched.
Win contenders:
Intelligent Once more started his profession within the spring of 2024, narrowly lacking victory in that race by a head. For no matter motive, he was away till this previous February, however regardless of the lengthy layoff and never having the good thing about a dash prep, Intelligent Once more simply dominated a discipline of 10 to win a route race at 1 1/16 miles. Main from begin to end in that race, Intelligent Once more earned a 100 Equibase Pace Determine, which was fairly robust for newly turned 3-year-olds at the moment of yr. Subsequent got here the Sizzling Springs Stakes March 30 at Oaklawn Park, a race through which Intelligent Once more led from begin to end as soon as extra and earned a career-best 108 Equibase Pace Determine, which can also be the best earned by any horse on this discipline. Within the Preakness Stakes 5 weeks in the past, Intelligent Once more took the lead initially from an outdoor submit however expended a bit an excessive amount of power in doing so, in addition to being pressured by different horses by means of a quicker than common opening quarter- and half mile, which resulted in a ninth-place end.
Within the Ohio Derby, ranging from post-position six and with not one of the 5 horses inside having proven any want to steer within the early phases, Intelligent Once more can simply get to the entrance and to the rail underneath Jose Ortiz and management the tempo from the begin to win, the identical approach Batten Down did in successful this race final yr. It should be famous that Grasp Controller and Mo Plex each earned wins of their most up-to-date races after main from the beginning, however given they’ve positions exterior Intelligent Once more within the gate, I’ll assume they may take second or third positions early as soon as they see that Intelligent Once more has the early lead. If that assumption is wrong, then the 2 contenders beneath, McAfee and Chunk of Gold, can cross the tiring pacesetters to win.
McAfee gained his profession debut Nov. 1, 2024, at six furlongs then completed second, overwhelmed by a head, in a one-mile race round one flip at Churchill Downs. As with many aspiring 2-year-olds, McAfee was given a while off and returned in March of this yr, ending fifth within the Gotham Stakes, additionally a one-turn race. Stretched out to 2 turns for the primary time within the Wooden Memorial Stakes Introduced by Resorts World On line casino in April, McAfee didn’t do a lot working, ending up fifth of 10. Blinkers had been added for the Peter Pan Stakes final month they usually made a world of distinction as McAfee raced nearer to the tempo in third, received to inside a head of the chief with an eighth of a mile to go, then settled for second, three-quarters of a size behind winner Hill Highway. With that effort, McAfee improved to a career-best 98 pace determine. It’s cheap to imagine McAfee can run even higher on this race off the expertise of that effort on the similar distance, significantly as his dam (mom) produced 2024 Horse of the Yr Thorpedo Anna, who gained 4 stakes races at this distance final yr.
Chunk of Gold is the one one of many 10 Ohio Derby entrants to have run within the Kentucky Derby, having rallied to sixth with 1 / 4 of a mile to run then fading to ninth within the stretch. Previous to that, Chunk of Gold proved succesful at this degree with second-place finishes within the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby, incomes a career-best 96 pace determine within the latter. Getting a great inside submit for this race, Chunk of Gold can save floor and profit if Intelligent Once more fails to safe a straightforward early lead or simply will get drained within the late phases.
The remainder of the sector (with finest consultant Equibase Pace Determine): Bohemian Model (81), Brereton’s Baytown (71), Capo Luco (98), Curvino (90), Extradition (87), Grasp Controller (98), and Mo Plex (101).
Win contenders in choice order:
Intelligent Once more
McAfee
Chunk of Gold
