Academic Takes on Boys Again in BC Derby

Other than a troubled run in the Queen's Plate, when she did not finish the Canadian classic against males, Academic has had a standout year and she'll run against the boys for the third straight race in the $250,000 British Columbia Derby (Can-III) Sept. 13 at Hastings Racecourse.



The Ontario-bred daughter of Henny Hughes has broken through as a 3-year-old, with three wins in four starts, including the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser and the Canadian Derby (Can-III) last time out Aug. 15 at Northlands Park.



In the Canadian Derby, running against males again, the Tim Rycroft filly stalked the pace, opened up in the stretch, and crushed the field by eight lengths.



ANGST: Filly Academic Romps in Canadian Derby



Two Canadian Derby challengers return for the British Columbia Derby. Blue Dancer, a multiple stakes-winning Bluegrass Cat   gelding, set the pace in the Canadian Derby before fading to fifth, and Purple Heaven finished last in the field of 12.



All eight males in the British Columbia Derby field are gelded, including multiple stakes winner Bluegrass Angus, another son of Bluegrass Cat who has won three straight stakes at Hastings this year—the River Rock Casino, Chris Loseth, and Richmond Derby Trial handicaps—for trainer Craig MacPherson.



Mighty Fraser is the remaining stakes winner in the field, coming off a victory in the CTHS Sales Stakes at Hastings Sept. 7. Stakes-placed runners Merlot and Percy Fawcett, along with allowance winners Crius and Sedin, complete the field.