Diodoro has sights on two hat tricks

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Robertino Diodoro is gearing up for a Western Canadian invasion with the Grade 3, $250,000 Canadian Derby and the Grade 3, $250,000 British Columbia Derby in his sights.

The 1 1/4-mile Canadian Derby will be held Aug. 18 at Century Mile. The B.C. Derby, a furlong shorter, is Sept. 7 at Hastings.

Diodoro will be going for an unprecedented third straight win in both races.

In 2017, he won both races with Chief Know It All. The result of the 2017 Canadian Derby has yet to be determined, though. There was some contact between Chief Know It All and Double Bear in the stretch, and following an inquiry, the stewards at Northlands Park let the result stand. On appeal, however, Double Bear and Trooper John, who dead-heated for second, were awarded the win. The matter is now in the courts.

Last year, Sky Promise won both races fair and square. He went into the Canadian Derby off an easy win in the $75,000 Manitoba Derby.

Diodoro has four horses he is considering for the B.C. Derby. He is pointing Oil Money and Rocknroll Rocket to the Manitoba Derby, which will be held Aug. 5 at Assiniboia Downs.

Diodoro said Senor Friday and Miltontown will make their next starts in the Canadian Derby.

“We’ll see how they run and go from there,” Diodoro said.

Oil Money, who has never gone farther than 6 1/2 furlongs, was an easy winner of the $30,000 Golden Boy on June 22 at Assiniboia. He won the six-furlong race by 6 1/2 lengths.

“His breeding says sprint only, but the way he trains and runs I think the farther the better,” Diodoro said. “I’ve had plenty of horses that have outrun their breeding, and I think he could be another one.”

Rocknroll Rocket is coming off a third-place finish in a maiden special weight July 12 at Canterbury Downs. The Kentucky-bred son of Curlin acts like he could thrive going the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Canadian Derby.

Senor Friday, also by Curlin, is a six-time winner and is coming off a decisive win going a mile in the $30,000 Harry Jeffrey Stakes on July 13 at Assiniboia.

Milontown looks a lot like Sky Promise in that Diodoro claimed him for $50,000 on May 25. He haltered Sky Promise for $40,000 before the Kentucky-bred son of Sky Mesa swept the Manitoba, Canadian, and B.C. derbies.

In his first start for Diodoro, Milontwon finished eighth in the $250,000 Iowa Derby on July 5 at Prairie Meadows.

Also heading to the Canadian Derby is Explode. Trained by Mark Cloutier, he is the top sophomore at Hastings by a wide margin. In his last start, he won the $50,000 Chris Loseth Handicap by six lengths.

The Kentucky-bred son of Trappe Shot will get his first try on a mile track when he runs in a 1 1/8-mile allowance Saturday at Century Mile.

There is a $10,000-guaranteed pool on the late pick four on Friday at Hastings. Post time for the first of seven races is 7 p.m. Pacific.