Ring Weekend Tops Calder Derby Field
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Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) winner Ring Weekend will make his final prep for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands when the gelding by Tapit goes to post in the $250,000 Calder Derby at Calder Casino & Race Course.
The April 5 race at 1 1/8 miles on the main track drew a field of 10 and is the seventh race on the card, with an approximate post time of 4 p.m. (EDT).
Trained by Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Graham Motion for St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds, Ring Weekend has won or placed in five of six starts and ranks 11th in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" standings with 50 points. The listed Calder Derby is not among the five remaining races on the Derby trail, with four of those each worth a total 170 points.
Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds, Ring Weekend has earned $255,660. He was a $310,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase. Fifth in his debut, Ring Weekend finished third twice and was once second in maiden company before breaking through for his first victory in his fifth start previous to the Tampa Bay Derby victory March 8.
Ring Weekend has been assigned 122 pounds for the Calder Derby, the same weight given another Kentucky Derby points earner, Cleburne. A Dixie Union colt owned by Donegal Racing and trained by Dale Romans, Cleburne has won both career starts and is making his 2014 debut in the Calder Derby. Victorious on turf at Ellis Park in his debut, Cleburne won the Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs to earn 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, and is currently is 34th on the list.
Bred in Kentucky by Earle I. Mack, Cleburne was a $310,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase. He has earned $119,744.
The most experienced 3-year-old in the field with 14 starts is Kathleen Amaya and Raffaele Centofanti's Copa Del Rey, who has one win, three seconds, and four thirds to his credit. A gelding by With Distinction bred in Florida by Kathleen Amaya, Copa Del Ray has competed in five stakes at Calder, finishing third in both the 2013 Foolish Pleasure Stakes and Florida Stallion Dr. Fager Stakes.
The Calder Derby drew one maiden, Russian Humor, a son of Distorted Humor who has two seconds to his credit in nine career starts. The $20,000 Keeneland September sale yearling purchase races for Miroslava Dorochenko and is trained by Gennadi Dorochenko, who has also entered Racetrack Romance.
The field is completed by Our Caravan, General Sham'mah, Charlie the Boss, Tapicero, and Gaining Ground.
$250,000 Calder Derby (Race 7, 4 p.m. EDT), 3YOs, 1 1/8 Miles (Dirt)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Russian Humor (KY), O Bocachica, 115, G Dorochenko
2. Ring Weekend (KY), A Garcia, 122, H G Motion
3. Racetrack Romance (FL), O Delgado, 115, G Dorochenko
4. Our Caravan (KY), M R Cruz, 115, M Dilger
5. General Sham'mah (KY), L Panici, 115, H Love
6. Charlie the Boss (KY), G Saez, 115, D Pita
7. Copa Del Rey (FL), A Gonzalez, 115, S Santoro
8. Cleburne (KY), A Jaen, 122, D L Romans
9. Tapicero (KY), D F Gomez, 115, M Morales
10. Gaining Ground (FL), A Murgia, 115, M Wilson