Admiral Dennis Sets Sail in $300K Ellis Park Derby

If one avoids the heavy hitters, there is still plenty of cash for a promising 3-year-old Thoroughbred to pursue in ungraded stakes races, as illustrated by the presence of Admiral Dennis  in the $300,000 Ellis Park Derby Aug. 10.

The Brad Cox-trained Constitution   colt, fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) in April in his top graded performance, attempts to win his second consecutive ungraded stakes in the mile dirt race at Ellis Park.  A month and a half ago, he won the $200,0000 Delaware Derby for owner Albaugh Family Stables.

The class drop resulted in him being close to the pace in that 1 1/16-mile contest at Delaware Park before he asserted his superiority in the stretch to win by 3 1/4 lengths under Luan Machado, who returns aboard the 8-5 morning-line shot Sunday.

His primary adversary in the eight-horse Ellis Park Derby is Flying Dutchmen's Big Truzz , who showed in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) in early June at Saratoga Race Course. The Brian Lynch trainee most recently weakened to sixth when racing two turns in the 1 1/16-mile Indiana Derby (G3) July 5.

Sunday's race begins from the chute at Ellis Park before the field takes essentially a half turn to vie down the backstretch.

The Ellis Park Derby is part of a six-stakes program Sunday at Ellis Park, accompanied by five other black-type events worth up to $200,000 apiece.