One in Vermillion, who was purchased at an Arizona Thoroughbred auction for $26,000 by his owner, Jonathan Kalman, as a yearling late in 2021, has earned $328,840 in 10 starts since his career debut April 13, 2022, at Turf Paradise in Arizona.
Now, he will attempt to win his first graded stakes in the Grade 3, $500,000 West Virginia Derby on Sunday evening.
The 3-year-old California-bred colt by Army Mule made three starts in 2022 and came away with two stakes scores in the Open Spring Futurity and Lost in the Fog Juvenile at Turf Paradise. He began 2023 with a win in the Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park in New Mexico, which would be his third of five victories thus far.
His connections tried One in Vermillion in the G3 Sunland Park and the G1 Santa Anita Derby in California, and he finished fifth both times. He bounced back to win the seven-furlong Laz Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita and was shipped to Canterbury Park in Minnesota with Southwest-based trainer Esteban Martinez to perhaps take a shot at some of the prominent Midwestern events for 3-year-olds.
One in Vermillion won an allowance race upon his arrival at Canterbury and followed up with a second-place finish in the Canterbury Derby. He then was shipped to Prairie Meadows in Iowa for the Iowa Derby, in which he led from gate to finish only to be disqualified and placed second behind How Did He Do That for drifting out late in the stretch.
The effort, however, was enough for Martinez and Kalman to try another Derby.
“These things happen,” Martinez, who shipped One in Vermillion to Mountaineer early to prepare for the Derby, said of the disqualification. “I think he'll go long. It's more about how he handles the track, but he always tries hard, and I think he has got a chance. I hope I'm right. The horse is feeling good right now.”
In many of his races One in Vermillion has been on the lead, and in half of his starts has carried that speed all the way. He has been ridden by Harry Hernandez, the leading rider for the 2022-23 Turf Paradise meet and current leading rider at Canterbury, in eight of his races.
“Harry really likes this horse,” Martinez said. “Wherever the horse goes, he wants to go with him. He's very excited about riding in the West Virginia Derby.”
Martinez, who began training in 2017, is usually based in Arizona in the fall and winter and Minnesota in the spring and summer. He has won 107 races with purse earnings in excess of $2 million.
The West Virginia Derby program will begin at the special Sunday post time of 5 p.m. ET. The Grade 3 West Virginia Governor's Stakes is set for 7:40 p.m. followed by the Derby at 8:15 p.m.
The post One In Vermillion Continues ‘Derby Hunting’ In West Virginia appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
