Arapahoe: Forest Mouse poised for revenge in Colorado Derby

Forest Mouse and Wally Van headline a rematch of the top three finishers from the Inaugural Stakes as a field of nine 3-year-olds will go 1 1/16 miles in the $40,000 Colorado Derby on Sunday at Arapahoe Park.

Forest Mouse finished first by a length in the Inaugural Stakes but was disqualified for coming out on Wally Van entering the stretch and had the win taken away in that six-furlong race on May 29. The pair should vie for the role of favorite in the Colorado Derby.

Forest Mouse was shipped to Arlington Park for a shot at Grade 2 company in the American Derby at 1 3/16 miles on the turf course on July 9. A son of Teton Forest trained by Mark Jensen, he staged a furious rally in the far turn to be second, a length off the lead, turning for home, but faded back to ninth, beaten 13 lengths under regular rider Perry Whetstone. Forest Mouse was riding a string of four straight wins entering the Arapahoe Park meet, which included wins in the Tempe Handicap at Turf Paradise and the Sun Ray Park Casino Handicap this spring. Although the streak was snapped in the Inaugural, Forest Mouse looks poised for a return to the winner’s circle.

Wally Van is riding a two-win streak for trainer Ty Gleason and comes into the race off a seven-length win in the CTBA Derby against Colorado-breds here on July 2. A son of Crafty Shaw, Wally Van has put together a career mark of 4-1-1 from 9 starts and will have regular rider Travis Wales aboard.

No It Ain’t was the third-place finisher in the Inaugural, and comes off a solid entry-level allowance win going seven furlongs on June 19. Kelly Bridges will be aboard for trainer Temple Rushton.

◗ The derby goes as the eighth on a nine-race card that includes four other stakes. Among them is the $38,000 CTBA Lassie Stakes for 2-year-old Colorado-bred fillies going six furlongs, which is carded as race 6. Arabians open the stakes fare in the fourth race with the $13,000 COBRA Derby, and Quarter Horses share the spotlight with the $100,000 Rocky Mountain Futurity and the $55,000 Rocky Mountain Derby, with both races at 350 yards.