Blinkers could be the answer for Final Jeopardy in B.C. Derby

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Phil Hall is hoping the addition of blinkers will help Final Jeopardy win the Grade 3, $250,000 British Columbia Derby on Saturday at Hastings.

The 1 1/8-mile race drew nine horses, as did the three supporting stakes, led by the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks. The $50,000 S.W. Randall Plate for 3-year-olds and up and the $50,000 Delta Colleen add to a great 10-race card that begins earlier than usual at 12:50 p.m. Pacific.

The horses in the B.C. Derby will each carry 126 pounds.

The B.C. Derby and Oaks are part of a cross-country pick four that includes the last two races at Woodbine. Beginning with the Oaks, the late pick four at Hastings has a guaranteed pool of $25,000. If recent history is any indication, it will be considerably higher.

Final Jeopardy’s runner-up finish behind Travers winner Code of Honor in the Grade 3 Dwyer stamps him as the one to beat. Following his strong effort in the Dwyer, Final Jeopardy was sold to Peter Redekop and his nephew James Redekop and transferred from trainer Jason Servis to Hall.

In his first start for the Redekops and Hall, Final Jeopardy finished third as the favorite in the Grade 3, $250,000 Canadian Derby at Century Mile near Edmonton on Aug. 18. The son of Street Sense got slammed just after the start. He had one horse beat at the first call before finishing full of run behind Journeyman and Explode.

“When we were in New York one of Jason’s assistants told me he probably needs blinkers,” Hall said. “We had just got him, so we didn’t want to change anything. He’s going to run with French cups, which are not full blinkers. He seemed more focused when we worked him with them. Hopefully, he’ll get off to a better start than he did in Edmonton.”

He will break from post 4 with Enrique Gonzalez up.

Rigo Sarmiento rode Final Jeopardy in the Canadian Derby. On Saturday he will be on All Good, who will be making his first start for Hall and Peter Redekop.

A son of Will Take Charge, All Good is coming off a runner-up finish in a first-level allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option on July 7 at Los Alamitos. He has good speed and figures to be part of the pace.

Explode, elevated to first in the Canadian Derby on the disqualification of Journeyman, will be going for his fifth straight win. He is trained by Mark Cloutier and owned by Ole Nielsen

Nielsen paid $2,500 for the son of Trappe Shot as a weanling at the 2016 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. He tried to sell Explode in the local CTHS sale as a yearling, but the reserve wasn’t met.

“Because we aren’t breeding as many horses in the province as we used to I was trying to help out by importing horses,” Nielsen said. “I bought five and sold one. Not selling Explode turned into a nice story.”

Explode won the $50,000 Chris Loseth by six lengths in June the last time he ran at Hastings. Prior to his win in the 1 1/4-mile Canadian Derby, he won an allowance race going 1 1/8 miles at Century Mile.

Amadeo Perez, who has ridden Explode in all his races, gave him a heady ride in the Canadian Derby. Explode was sitting just off pacesetter Sharp Dressed Beau when Journeyman went by him at the three-eighths pole. Instead of trying to go with Journeyman, Perez waited until they turned for home before he asked for a response from Explode. Journeyman won the stretch-long duel by a neck, but was taken down for drifting out and bumping Explode.

Perez will be aboard when Explode breaks from post 2 on Saturday.

“I was hoping for an outside post,” Cloutier said. “It’s okay. He’s versatile. I’ll just leave it in Amadeo’s hands. He knows the horse. That was some ride in the Canadian Derby, so what am I going to tell him?”

Owner-trainer Glen Todd is expecting a good ride from two-time Kentucky Derby winner Mario Gutierrez aboard Five Star General. Gutierrez guided the son of Distorted Humor to an impressive 2 1/4-length victory over Stay Fantastic in his first start for Todd in the $50,000 Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial here Aug. 5.

“Mario said he won with a lot left,” Todd said. “It’s a tough race, though. He couldn’t be doing better, but he’ll have to run a big race to beat Peter and Ole’s horses. It’s one of the better derbies we have had here in a while.”

He could be the second Five Star General to win the B.C. Derby; a horse with that name won in 1978.

If there is an upset Saturday it could come from the Stay Fantastic, who is trending in the right direction for trainer Christine Ammann.

Whiskey Bound, trained by Keith Pedersen, is another possibility. Following his runner-up finish to Explode in the Chris Loseth, he rallied to finish third in the Derby Trial after steadying soon after the start.