NEWS
Hansen, Union Rags top list of early Illinois Derby nominations
Posted: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 1:36 PM
Early Nominations for the $500,000 Illinois Derby (G3) closed on February 3 as 91 horses were nominated for the 1 1/8-mile dirt race to be run on Saturday, April 7. The Illinois Derby has traditionally been a stepping stone for horses as a final prep for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), the first race of the Triple Crown. After running for a $300,000 purse in 2011, funds from the impact fees released in the fall of 2011 have allowed for the purse to be reinstated to the traditional $500,000 for the Illinois Derby.
The top two finishers for the Eclipse Award voting for two-year-old colts from 2011 are among the nominations as Hansen and Union Rags top the list. Following his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile victory, Hansen made his three-year-old debut in the slop, running second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream on January 29. After his near miss in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Union Rags is pointed towards his return in the Fountain of Youth.
Numerous graded stakes winners are among the early nominations for the Illinois Derby including: Alpha, winner of the Grade 3 Withers; Currency Swap, winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful; Dullahan, winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity; Motor City, winner of the Grade 3 Iroquois; Out of Bounds, winner of the Grade 3 Sham; Prospective, winner of the Grade 3 Grey; State of Play, winner of the Grade 2 With Anticipation; and undefeated filly Now I Know, winner of the Grade 3 Delta Princess.
In addition to the Grade 3 Illinois Derby, older horses will have a stakes opportunity with the return of the $60,000 added Cryptoclearance to be contested at 1 1/16 Miles on the dirt.
Late nominations for the Illinois Derby close on Saturday, March 24.
For a list of nominations, click here.
