Deeply Undervalued adds to Brown's big day by taking Commonwealth Derby
Deeply Undervalued could not quite win a first-level allowance race last month at Saratoga, but on Saturday at Laurel Park he was up in time to win the Grade 2, $200,000 Commonwealth Derby.
It was part of a huge day for trainer Chad Brown, who also won the Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing with Connect and ran one-two in the Noble Damsel at Belmont with Mrs. Macdougal and Zindaya.
Still eighth of 10 with a quarter-mile of the 1 1/8-mile grass race left, Deeply Undervalued finished powerfully down the center of the track under Manny Franco, getting his last three furlongs in less than 34 seconds, and getting up by one length over Isotherm. He’ll Pay, who raced near the lead, finished third, a nose better than favored American Patriot, who suffered his second straight difficult trip.
Deeply Undervalued, by Kitten’s Joy and out of the Cherokee Run mare Dream About, was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and is owned by Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence. Deeply Undervalued had raced five times before Saturday’s start and had won only a maiden race, but he was a close, closing second behind Commonwealth Derby foe Revved Up last out at Saratoga after being forced to make his closing move down along the fence.
This time, Deeply Undervalued, who had a touch of trouble at the start, took the overland route.
“I just let him be comfortable after he stumbled a little bit,” Franco said. “I tried to be covered up, but when it was time to move, I took him to the outside and he made a big run.”
Deeply Undervalued ran 1 1/8 miles on firm, fast-playing turf in 1:46.63 and paid $15.20 to win. Isotherm, breaking from the outside gate while racing on Lasix for the first time, turned in a solid performance to get second, while He’ll Pay, who pressed the pace, held surprisingly well to save third over American Patriot. American Patriot, who was a tough-trip third in the Secretariat at Arlington last month, found himself stuck behind fading speed as the top two finishers hit their best stride at the top of the stretch. He never really found clear running and wound up finishing decently along the fence in a performance better than it will look on paper.