NEWS
Scrappy T headlines deep Indiana Derby field
Posted: Thursday, September 29, 2005
The $500,000 Indiana Derby (G2) on Saturday at Hoosier Park marks the racetrack return of Withers Stakes (G3) winner Scrappy T, infamous runner-up to Afleet Alex in the Preakness Stakes (G1).
The son of Fit to Fight nearly turned the Preakness into catastrophe when he reacted to a left-handed snap of the whip from jockey Ramon Dominguez by ducking out into Afleet Alex's path on the turn for home. Afleet Alex clipped heels and stumbled, but miraculously recovered and drew off for a 4 3/4-length win.
Scrappy T, apparently recovered from some minor physical problems, is the 5-to-2 morning-line favorite in a deep field of nine three-year-olds set to go 1 1/16 miles at the Anderson, Indiana track.
He will be opposed by four other graded stakes winners including Grade 3 winner Don't Get Mad, who most recently finished fourth in the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on August 27. A deep closer, Don't Get Mad has four victories in ten career starts, with all the wins coming in Kentucky at Churchill Downs.
Like Scrappy T, Grade 2 winner Greater Good also returns off a long rest. The late-running ridgling by Intidab won the Southwest and Rebel (G3) Stakes this spring at Oaklawn Park before tailing off with a fifth-place effort in the Arkansas Derby (G2) and a 13th in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Lone Star Derby (G3) winner Southern Africa comes in off a late-rallying second-place finish behind Sun King in the Pennsylvania Derby (G2).
Arlington Classic Stakes (G3) winner Purim has run in grass races in four of five lifetime starts. He returns to the main track, the surface on which he earned his first career win in his debut at Tampa Bay Downs on Aril 30.
Multiple stakes winner Thor's Echo, who beat Southern Africa when he won the $500,000 WinStar Derby at Sunland Park on April 2, appears to be the controlling speed for trainer Doug O'Neill.
The California-bred son of Swiss Yodeler won the seven-furlong Real Good Deal Stakes wire-to-wire at Del Mar in his most recent race on August 12 at Del Mar.
The field, in post-position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, trainer, and morning-line odds:
1. It's Time to Smile (Ops Smile), Thomas Clifton, 117, Steven R. Brown, 15-to-1;
2. Thor's Echo (Swiss Yodeler), Felipe F. Martinez, 124, Doug F. O'Neill, 9-to-2;
3. Southern Africa (Cape Town), Tyler Baze, 124, Michael Puhich, 6-to-1;
4. Greater Good (Intidab), John McKee, 124, Robert E. Holthus, 10-to-1;
5. Scrappy T (Fit to Fight), Ramon A. Dominguez, 124, W. Robert Bailes, 5-to-2;
6. Purim (Dynaformer), Mark Guidry, 124, Thomas F. Proctor, 8-to-1;
7. Earths Vain Shadow (Quiet American), Thomas L. Pompell, 121, Darrell A. Lunsford, 12-to-1;
8. Apache Point (Royal Academy), , 115, Frank J. Kirby, 20-to-1; and
9. Don't Get Mad (Stephen Got Even), Brice Blanc, 124, Ronald W. Ellis, 7-to-2.
