Arapahoe Park: Busta Twist to be favored in CTBA Derby

Busta Twist will be tested at two turns for the first time Saturday at Arapahoe Park, and he gets pedigree support for the 1 1/16-mile distance of the $35,000 Colorado Thoroughbred Breeders Association Derby. Busta Twist also is in sharp form, and as a result, he should start as a strong favorite in the five-horse field restricted to 3-year-olds bred in Colorado.

Busta Twist is by Oliver’s Twist, whose defining win came in the Grade 3 Federico Tesio at 1 1/8 miles at Pimlico in 1995. Busta Twist’s dam, Michelle’s Secret, was a maiden winner, and the score came at two turns in a 6 1/2-furlong race at Fairplex.

As for Busta Twist’s form, the Doug Grinolds trainee was a 4 3/4-length maiden-special-weight winner against statebreds at Arapahoe in his 2013 debut May 25. Busta Twist then was second by a half-length in a first-level allowance against open company in his most recent start June 16. He’s also placed in a pair of Arapahoe stakes, both last year against Get Happy Mister, who rolled to a perfect 4-for-4 season in Colorado.

Busta Twist will break from post 2, and while he has the speed to set the pace under jockey Russell Vicchrilli, he also has been effective stalking and could get such a trip behind One Storm and Finewineatnine.

Finewineatnine was fourth in the same allowance Busta Twist exits, and like that one, he was stakes-placed last year against Get Happy Mister. Finewineatnine is a full brother to three-time stakes winner Illusive Crystals.

◗ Sweet Dixie Van returns to the overnight ranks in the eighth race, an allowance. In her most recent start, she won the Ingrid Knotts Stakes at Arapahoe.