Coal Battle Ready to Heat Up in Indiana Derby

Familiar Thoroughbreds from the 3-year-old stakes scene will line up to contest the $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3) July 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Besides Coal Battle , and Publisher —respectively 11th and 14th in the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs—the 1 1/16-mile Indiana Derby includes dual stakes winner Instant Replay , who ran third in the Louisiana Derby (G2) in his only start in graded company.

Another Kentucky Derby alum and Indiana Derby entrant, Chunk of Gold , will be scratched after his connections decided to take a look at the field by entering him, Daily Racing Form reported. He would have been returning on two weeks of rest after finishing second to Mo Plex  in the June 21 Ohio Derby (G3). 

The Indiana Derby and its sister race, the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) for 3-year-old fillies, are among eight stakes Saturday at the Shelbyville, Ind., track.

A tepid morning-line favorite in the Indiana Derby at 7-2 odds is Norman Stables' Coal Battle, a close third in the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs June 8 in his lone post-Derby start. Closer to the pace than usual owing to limited speed in the Matt Winn, he chased victorious front-runner East Avenue  before flattening out late to finish 1 1/4 lengths back under Corey Lanerie. Burnham Square  would rally to finish three-quarters of a length ahead of him in second.

He has to deal with neither grade 1-winning rival in the Indiana Derby, with East Avenue and Burnham Square pointed to other races.

Trainer Lonnie Briley opted to pursue the Indiana Derby with Coal Battle, training him at Churchill Downs under the oversight of assistant trainer and morning rider Bethany Taylor. Two of his four stakes wins have come at the Indiana Derby's 1 1/16-mile distance, including this winter's Rebel Stakes (G2) and Smarty Jones Stakes, both at Oaklawn Park.

"It's tough to judge a horse's talent by the (Kentucky) Derby," Taylor said of Coal Battle, who lost by 17 lengths. "We ran with 19 horses. Half the field can say they didn't get the trip they wanted. You can't judge anything off of that.

"Every race up to the Derby, he didn't disappoint us. It's still a fun ride, and we're hoping for good things in the Indiana Derby."

Publisher, the Arkansas Derby (G1) runner-up but still a maiden, was also humbled by Sovereignty  in the Kentucky Derby, losing by  32 1/4 lengths. The American Pharoah   colt is unraced since but has been working smartly for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

He receives a weight break under the conditions of the Indiana Derby, carrying 118 pounds, six pounds less than the duo of Coal Battle and Wathnan Racing's Instant Replay. The latter, trained by Brad Cox, won the April 19 Bathhouse Row Stakes at Oaklawn Park before winning the May 26 Texas Derby at Lone Star Park in advance of the Indiana Derby.

Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) third-place finisher Big Truzz , cross-entered in the Iowa Derby Saturday night, is more likely to run in the Indiana Derby, according to trainer Brian Lynch.

Clicquot Gets Stakes Test in Indiana Oaks

The six-filly Indiana Oaks, also at 1 1/16 miles, is led by Clicquot , who steps into the stakes ranks after rattling off two sharp victories against maiden and first-level allowance optional claiming company in Kentucky.

Heavenly Sunset , runner-up to Clicquot May 31 at Churchill Downs, is likely to be her principal rival if she competes. She is cross-entered in Saturday night's Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows.