Gorgeous Kitten, Sonic Boom Headline American Derby

Ken and Sarah Ramsey and Lothenbach Stables own the obvious heavyweights in the American Derby (G3T), one of three graded turf stakes to run July 8 at Arlington International Racecourse. 

The Ramseys actually have two entered in the $100,000, 1 1/8-mile contest for 3-year-olds—9/5 favorite Gorgeous Kitten, a homebred by homebred stallion Kitten's Joy  ; and, Hembree, a $40,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase and son of Proud Citizen. 

Gorgeous Kitten earns favoritism coming into the American Derby off a second place in the Arlington Classic Stakes (G3T) May 27, a race the closer finished well in despite slow early fractions.

Ensuring an honest pace appears to be Hembree's job. Bred in Kentucky by Derby Lane Farm, the colt won in his first start last August at Saratoga Race Course and placed second in a minor stakes at Louisiana Down in his second start. He has not won or been in the money in black-type company since. In his most recent start at Churchill Downs June 4 in a $75,000 allowance, however, he switched running styles from that of closer to front-runner. Hembree led the field through six furlongs in 1:10.49 before fading to finish fifth in the one-mile race.

Gorgeous Kitten also owns the best record so far this year among the six other horses entered in the American Derby, having finished in the money four times out of five starts. He broke his maiden in his 2017 debut Feb. 18, winning a one-mile maiden special weight at Turfway Park by half a length. Prior to the Arlington Classic, Gorgeous Kitten's best performance was a third in the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway. The colt is trained by Mike Maker and will be ridden by Robby Albarado.

Robert Lothenbach's Sonic Boom, a colt by More than Ready  , promises to deliver plenty of competition. Bred in Kentucky by Athens Woods and the More Than Ready Syndicate, Sonic Boom was a $135,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase in 2015. He broke his maiden in his second start last September by five lengths at Kentucky Downs and finished second in his next start to eventual grade 3 winner Big Score in the $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

This year, Sonic Boom has won two of four starts, including a win March 11 in the Columbia Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. He finished unplaced in the Transylvania Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3T) behind Big Score at Keeneland in April but comes into the American Derby off a near gate-to-wire victory by 3 3/4 lengths in a one-mile allowance race on the grass at Churchill Downs. Sonic Boom will be ridden by Julien Leparoux, who has been aboard for his last three starts. Ian Wilkes is the colt's trainer.

American Derby (G3T)

Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, July 08, 2017, Race 5

• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $100,000
• 3 yo
• 3:33 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Gorgeous Kitten (KY)	Robby Albarado	119	Michael J. Maker	9/5
2	2Sonic Boom (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	119	Ian R. Wilkes	7/5
3	3My Bariley (KY)	Santo Sanjur	119	Anthony J. Granitz	12/1
4	4Hembree (KY)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	119	Joe Sharp	4/1
5	5Grand Marais (MN)	Mitchell Murrill	119	Gary M. Scherer	30/1
6	6Kaliningrad (KY)	Carlos H. Marquez, Jr.	119	Pavel Vashchenko	12/1
7	7Imposing Will (KY)	Julio E. Felix	119	Michele Boyce	10/1