The Grade 3, $300,000-guaranteed Indiana Derby is setting up to be very promising for Wednesday, July 8. A total of 55 nominations have been collected for the richest horse race in the state of Indiana, the second highest total in the 26-year history of the event. The Derby will be run at a distance of one and one-eighth miles for the first time in 2020.
The Indiana Derby is part of the Kentucky Derby Championship Series for 2020. The first four finishers will receive qualifying points (20-8-4-2) toward the Kentucky Derby, set for Saturday, Sept. 5.
The Indiana Derby list includes several that have their eye on the first Saturday in September, including 13 graded stakes placed 3-year-olds. Pneumatic comes into the race off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 $1 million Belmont Stakes. A son of Uncle Mo, Pneumatic was third in his previous outing in the Grade 3 $150,000 Matt Winn Stakes prior to his trip to the Belmont. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Pneumatic is owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds.
Joining Pneumatic on the nomination list is Ny Traffic. The grey son of Cross Traffic finished second in his last start in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs and was a second-place finisher the start before in the Grade 2, $1 Million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.
The colt with the biggest bankroll on the Indiana Derby Nomination List is Basin from the Asmussen stable. The son of Liam's Map has not started since finishing second in a division of the Grade 1 $500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in early May. Owned by Jackpot Farm, Basin has accumulated in excess of $471,000 in career earnings and has only missed the board once in six career starts.
Hall of Fame and Triple Crown-winning Trainer Bob Baffert has nominated three to the Indiana Derby, including Thousand Words, owned by the Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm. The Pioneerof the Nile colt was a winner earlier this year in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. He is three for five in his career and a start in the Indiana Derby would be his first since running in the Oaklawn Stakes in Arkansas in early April.
Indiana Derby Day will feature purses in excess of $800,000 and will include the 25th running of the Grade 3, $200,000-guaranteed Indiana Oaks. The race is Indiana's first graded stakes event and has attracted 35 nominations. Asmussen has nominated multiple graded stakes-placed Comical, who finished second in her last start at Oaklawn Park in the Gardenia Stakes. The Into Mischief filly was a second-place finisher last year in the Grade 1, $300,000 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Another top filly on the Indiana Oaks list is Bonny South, winner in her last start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks. Hailing from the Brad Cox barn, the Munnings filly is two for two in 2020.
The Grade 3 Indiana Derby and Grade 3 Indiana Oaks will be joined by the $75,000 Jonathan B Schuster Memorial Stakes (Listed), named in honor of the former Indiana Grand vice president and general manager of racing who passed away last winter. Other stakes on the card include the $75,000 Indiana General Assembly Stakes (Listed) as well as the $75,000 Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Stakes for both colts and fillies.
First post for Indiana Derby Day is set for 2:20 p.m. Eastern. The Indiana Derby has an anticipated post of approximately 7:45 p.m. and will be the final leg of the All-Stakes Pick 4 as well as the Pick 5 on the afternoon card.
Live racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 18 with action held Monday through Thursday beginning at 2:20 p.m. Four Saturday programs are slated for all-Quarter Horse days set for July 4, Aug. 8, Oct. 23 and Oct. 24.
Equibase past performances of Indiana Derby nominees
Equibase past performances of Indiana Oaks nominees
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