Oscar Nominated, 'Jagger' Seek Turf Glory

The $125,000 American Derby (gr. IIIT) at Arlington International Racecourse will feature a field of 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on the turf as part of Million Preview Day on July 9. The top three finishers will earn an automatic berth to the $450,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) as part of the Arlington International Festival of Racing on Aug. 13. 

The American Derby marks the second start on turf for Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Oscar Nominated since his 17th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). He went from that race into the the Penn Mile Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, which showcased another top effort from Catch a Glimpse as much the best and found Oscar Nominated in fifth place at the wire.

The son of Kitten's Joy has primarily raced on turf in his career, and broke his maiden on that surface at Belmont Park. The winner of the Black Gold Overnight Stakes and the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes (gr. III) earlier this year looks to get back to that winner's circle for trainer Mike Maker.

Swagger Jagger, also from Maker's barn, is a stakes winner trying to break through at the graded level. His best finish in a graded stakes race so far has been a third in the Arlington Classic Stakes (gr. IIIT), his most recent start. The colt owned by Warner Thoroughbreds, et al., was beaten by three-quarters of a length in a three-way duel to the wire in that race. Like Oscar Nominated, Swagger Jagger has been more successful on turf than dirt, and his connections hope to point him to the Secretariat after the American Derby.

L.T.B Inc. and Hillerich Racing's One Mean Man was the second-place finisher in the speed duel with Swagger Jagger and Surgical Strike in the Arlington Classic, giving the stakes winner his first graded stakes placing. The colt trained by Bernard Flint won a turf allowance at Churchill Downs in late June in his last race.

Stakes winners J R's Holiday and Two Step Time, allowance winners Tequila Joe and Lomcevak, maiden Itsnotezbeinbreezy, and maiden winners Weavers Ice Cold, The Rouge Diesel, and Mongolian Holiday—who will be making his second lifetime start in the American Derby—round out the field.