by Jenny Blandford

Recapturetheglory, a maiden winner who was sent off at 15.90-to-1, set an uncontested pace along the inside and found another gear in the stretch to post a convincing four-length win in the $500,000 Illinois Derby (G2) on Saturday at Hawthorne Race Course.

The Cherokee Run colt made his second start of the season in the Illinois Derby, which was also his stakes debut, and entered off a third-place finish in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race on February 29 at Fair Grounds. A late Triple Crown nominee, the winner’s share of $300,000 cemented his spot in the field for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 3.

 Ridden by E.T. Baird, Recapturetheglory quickly took the lead in the seven-horse field and led through a half-mile in :48.64 and six furlongs in 1:12.84. Golden Spikes and Z Humor tracked close behind.

Golden Spikes moved up to challenge Recapturetheglory on the turn but the winner responded when roused by Baird, edging clear to finish in 1:49.01 on a track rated fast.

Z Humor finished third, three-quarters of a length behind Golden Spikes. 

Even-money favorite and previously unbeaten Denis of Cork was never a threat as he raced off the pace and finished fifth.

Trained by Louie Roussel III, who co-owns Recapturetheglory with Ronnie Lamarque, the bay colt’s only other win was in his third start in a maiden special weight race on September 29 at Hawthorne.

Recapturetheglory increased his earnings to $333,080 in six career starts. Bred by Charles Jacobi, he is out of Cold Awakening, by Dehere.

For an Equibase chart, click here.   

Jenny Blandford is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor