Australia: Explosive Jack continues road show in Queensland Derby

Explosive Jack’s 2021 season has been highlighted by three derby wins throughout Australia.

The continental tour continues Saturday when the colt will have his ninth career start in the Group 1 Queensland Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane.

Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Explosive Jack won the Tasmania Derby at 1 3/8 miles at Hobart Racecourse in February, the Group 1 ATC Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on April 10, and the Group 1 South Australian Derby at 1 9/16 miles at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide on May 8.

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In each race, Explosive Jack has closed steadily through the final half-mile to win by as little as a head in the ATC Derby and by as much as 3 3/4 lengths in Hobart.

In the $464,280 Queensland Derby, the New Zealand-bred Explosive Jack will be favored at about 9-5 in a full field of 18. His biggest threat could come from stablemate Let’s Karaka Deel, a colt also trained by the partnership of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

Let’s Karaka Deel was second by about 2 1/2 lengths in the South Australian Derby. Let’s Karaka Deel has one win in eight starts, and has been second five times, including his last three races.

The lightly raced gelding Senor Toba is capable of an upset in his Group 1 debut in the Queensland Derby. Trained by Chris Waller, Senor Toba won the Group 3 Packer Plate at 1 1/4 miles in his first appearance in a stakes at Randwick on April 24, and followed with a third by 1 1/2 lengths behind 70-1 Criminal Defence in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate at 1 1/4 miles at Morphettville on May 15.

The nine-race Eagle Farm program begins at 9:34 p.m., Eastern, or 6:34 p.m., Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

There are two other lucrative Group 1 or Group 2 races on the program.

Several of Australia’s top sprinters highlight the field in the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup at 6 1/2 furlongs. As of Wednesday, the 6-year-old mare and multiple stakes winner Savatiano was a slight favorite over Gytrash.

Trained by James Cummings, Savatiano won the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Randwick on March 6 by a head and was beaten the same margin by Kolding in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes at seven furlongs at Randwick on April 24, her latest start.

Gytrash won the $777,000 Yes Yes Yes Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens last October and was third behind Savatoxl in the Group 1 Goodwood Stakes at Doomben Racecourse on May 15. Savatoxl is entered in the $541,660 Kingsford-Smith Cup, but is somewhat overshadowed by the presence of Savatiano and Gytrash.

The richest race on the program is the Group 2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs.

Prince of Boom, unbeaten in two starts, is a deserving favorite, but will face a late threat from Ranch Hand, who was beaten a head by Subterranean in the Group 3 Ken Russell Stakes at six furlongs at Gold Coast Racecourse on May 8.

Ranch Hand will start over this longer trip for the first time in the $773,800 BRC Sires Produce Stakes. Subterranean is part of the field, and was 25-1 as of Wednesday.

At Randwick on Saturday, Bulletin, the winner of the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs for trainer Todd Pletcher, will have his second start in Australia in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Now trained by Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse, Bulletin was sixth of seven in a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in January, and was taken out of training in the weeks following that race.

The Randwick race drew a field of 16. Bulletin will be a longshot in a field led by Malkovich, who was eighth in the Inglis’ Sprint Stakes in February.