Great Escape Scores in Canadian Derby

Great Escape  added a win in graded stakes company to his record when he held off Red Knobs  in the stretch to take the 1 1/4-mile Canadian Derby (G3) Aug. 20 at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino.

Under Rico Walcott, the 3-year-old colt ran second through fractions of :22.41, :45.35, 1:09.53, and 1:34.60, with the Jorge Carreno-piloted Red Knobs keeping the lead.

Coming down the stretch, it was the Robertino Diodoro trainee who overtook the front-runner to win by 3 1/2 lengths in track-record time of 2:01.35 on a fast dirt track. 

Red Knobs held on for second, and Regal Riot  came in third. Itsmyday , who raced in mid-pack, dropped rider Mauricio Malvaez in the stretch after bumping the rail.

Great Escape paid $7.30 to win and improved his record to 2-4-0 from nine starts. His earnings increased to $226,386.

Owned by Arnold Bennewith, Rick, Clayton, and Lana Wiest, Randy Howg, R6 Stables, Gary Kropp, and Norman Tremblay, the son of Midnight Storm was purchased as a weanling for $65,000 by Topher Mountain Farm from the Vinery Sales consignment to the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. He was sold again in 2020 at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase, where he went to Maverick Racing for $200,000 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. 

Great Escape is out of the Indian Charlie  mare Chickasaw Gal, who has three winners from four foals to start.