Accredit Upsets Dueling Grounds Derby

Pavel Matejka won the biggest purse of his training career as Accredit  went wire-to-wire in the $732,325 Big Ass Fans Dueling Grounds Derby Sept. 5 at Kentucky Downs, rewarding his ecstatic team with a $75 win payoff under jockey Martin Garcia.

Accredit was second in the July 17 American Derby at Arlington International Racecourse and fourth in the Aug. 7 KY Downs TVG Preview Dueling Grounds Derby at Ellis Park. Matejka has a farm by his stable at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, and he had Accredit gallop up and down his undulating fields. That gave him confidence that the Flatter   colt would like Kentucky Downs' course, with its subtle changes in elevation.

Matejka wanted Accredit in the clear, which Garcia did by setting a leisurely pace over the yielding turf. Fractions went in :24.17, :49.03, 1:14.31, and 1:39.56. Down the home stretch, Yes This Time  was in striking position but was unable to threaten the winner and finished second by a length. Cellist  was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third.

Accredit covered the 1 5/16 miles in 2:10.58.

"Martin did a great job to get him out and in the clear" after breaking on the rail, Matejka said. "Every time he's in a spot like that, he's hard to pass. We didn't want to get the one hole, and we did. But he did great. The last couple of races, he just didn't have a very good trip. He got stuck behind horses, nowhere to go, and today it turned out perfect. It was a great ride. This is a free-running horse. No traffic and he'll give you his best."

Accredit was the fourth-longest shot in the field of 11 at 36-1 odds.

"When he ran last time at Ellis, he broke OK, not sharp as he did today," said Garcia. "I was on the rail. I didn't want to get stuck. I was in the lead and tried to run away, so he could be comfortable and happy. When I asked, he just kept going, and I don't think any horse is going to go by him this time."

The Dueling Ground Derby was the third overall stakes win for Matejka, and the first for Accredit. The colt has earned $572,619 for owner Bob Grayson Jr., with Matejka a minority owner. A $60,000 RNA at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, he now has a record of 3-1-0 from seven starts.

"He said he was screaming the whole trip; he was really happy," Matejka said of Grayson, who called shortly after the race. "I think all family and friends and everybody else was helping. And they're all happy now, celebrating. It's a huge win for everyone. We work hard, and it's a small stable. These races don't come every week for us, so we try to celebrate and enjoy while we can. This is a big win for us."

Accredit was bred in Kentucky by E. H. Beau Lane out of the Bernstein mare Berncredit, the dam of six winners from as many to race, including grade 3 winner, grade 1-placed Sistas Stroll . Berncredit's yearling Cross Traffic   colt is entered in the upcoming Keeneland September sale. The mare foaled a Catholic Boy   colt this year and was bred to Maclean's Music   for 2022.

Video: Big Ass Fans Dueling Grounds Derby (BT)

Adventuring Comes Through

Godolphin homebred Adventuring , sent off as the even-money favorite, didn't disappoint as she scored a front-running victory in the $480,400 Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks.

The Pioneerof the Nile filly won the March 27 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park and last out was third in the Aug. 7 TVG KY Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Oaks at Ellis Park. With Joel Rosario aboard, she turned back several challenges in Sunday's 1 5/16-mile test on the yielding course.

"The soft turf didn't seem to bother her at all," said Rosario. "She was comfortable, and kept going the whole time."

Adventuring opened with a :26.10 quarter and was a head back in second for a :51.49 half. She got her head back in front for three quarters in 1:16.89 and opened up by a length for a 1:42.19 mile. 

"She broke well, and there was not that much speed," Rosario said. "So, she was able to get up in the race a little bit. There was a horse coming inside, but she was happy out there."

Adventuring ($4.20) crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths in front, stopping the clock in 2:12.33.

Viburnum  finished second in the seven-horse field, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Oliviaofthedesert .

Jorge Abrego, assistant trainer to Brad Cox, was pleased with Adventuring's performance.

"She showed up today, and it was a tremendous win," he said. "I'm very happy for this filly … And the fractions today, Joel did a very good job, put her in a very good spot. It's all very good."

It was the second straight win in the stakes for Godolphin and Rosario, who rode the Michael Stidham-trained Micheline  to victory last year.

Jimmy Bell, president of Godolphin USA, indicated that Adventuring is showing some of her potential with her third win in six starts this year.

"When it comes to horses for courses, she seemed to handle it exceptionally well, especially since this was obviously her first time over an undulating course—uphill, downhill, turns—and she just took to it like duck to water," he said.

What left him most pleased was how she looked at the end of the race.

"She won with a little bit left in the tank, with her ears pricked, just as you like to see it," he said. "The distance was certainly no problem, and Joel gave her a lovely ride. He stayed up in the good part of the track."

Adventuring was bred in Kentucky out of the 2012 champion 3-year-old filly Questing  (by Hard Spun  ), who also produced multiple graded stakes-placed Romantic Pursuit .

From 11 career starts, Adventuring has collected a 4-2-1 record and earned $876,876.

Video: Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks (BT)