NEWS
Song of Navarone streaks to clear score in WinStar Derby
Posted: Sunday, March 18, 2007 8:34 PM
SONG OF NAVARONE
Eugene O'Neill/Coady Photography
by Mike Curry
Song of Navarone wore down favored pacesetter Forty Grams and drew off in the stretch to a 1 1/2-length win in the $600,000 WinStar Derby on Sunday at Sunland Park.
The Sultry Song colt entered off a third-place finish on February 3 at Santa Anita Park in the 1 1/8-mile Sham Stakes (G3), in which he chased home two Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) hopefuls Ravel and Liquidity, respectively.
Trained by Henry Dominguez for owner George Coleman, Song of Navarone broke alertly under jockey Victor Espinoza and settled in third as Forty Grams and Jack Hes Tops led the seven-horse field though a strong half-mile in :47.26 in the 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-olds.
Forty Grams repelled a bid from Jack Hes Tops on the backstretch but was soon confronted by Song of Navarone on the turn and the duo battled into the stretch.
Song of Navarone dispatched Forty Grams in early stretch, spurted clear leaving the eighth pole, and held off a belated bid from Solemn Promise to prevail in 1:49.53 on a fast track.
Solemn Promise closed willingly from sixth in his second career start to finish 5 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher and stakes-placed 9-to-10 favorite Forty Grams.
Song of Navarone won an allowance race at Sunland Park on December 16 and closed his juvenile campaign with a runner-up finish in the Riley Allison Futurity at Sunland Park on December 31. Sent off as the 2.10-to-1 second choice in the WinStar Derby, Song of Navarone improved to three wins, one second, and one third from five starts and increased his earnings to $358,080.
Bred in Kentucky by E. H. Beau Lane III, Song of Navarone is out of the Navarone mare Timely Legend.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times daily news editor
For an Equibase chart, click here.
