Dragoon Guard dominates Indiana Derby, brings home the big one for Cox

Trainer Brad Cox had been shut out with his first three runners Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis, Impel at 1-5 in the Indiana Oaks being among the defeated, but Cox got the big one by winning the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby for the third time in five years as Dragoon Guard led nearly from start to finish.

Breaking from post 7 after Sir Greylind’s scratch allowed him to move in one spot, Dragoon Guard did not have to work especially hard to cross over and dictate terms under Florent Geroux. Stronghold, the 6-5 favorite, broke on top and could have led, but he was taken back into the first turn, which led to a bumping scrum with longshot Woodcourt just to his outside as Dragoon Guard skipped along in front.

Racing over a fast-playing main track, Dragoon Guard coasted through his first half-mile in a very manageable 47.83, maintained a clear advantage around the far turn, and with a field-best final 2 1/2 furlongs in 31.49 proved uncatchable.

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Stronghold, exiting a seventh-place Kentucky Derby finish, came off the fence past the five-sixteenths pole and had a clear outside run through the homestretch, but while finishing willingly he could do nothing to cut into Dragoon Guard’s lead. Stronghold crossed the line three lengths clear of third-place Informed Patriot, who had raced in closest attendance to Dragoon Guard through the early and middle stages.

E J Won the Cup, third choice at 7-2, was left with too much to do after settling near the back of the field, and after a bold sweep on the far turn flattened out and was fourth.

Dragoon Guard, the well-bet second choice, paid $5.80 and was timed in 1:42.26 for 1 1/16 miles over a fast track. A race earlier, Chatalas won the Indiana Oaks in 1:42.93 off a faster half-mile split than the derby’s.

Dragoon Guard debuted with a close second last September in his lone start at age 2, returning for a second race this past April and easily winning a Keeneland maiden over seven furlongs, 184 feet. Cox got the colt out to a one-turn mile in a first-level Churchill Downs allowance score on June 2 and expected Dragoon Guard to transition smoothly to route racing.

“First run around two turns and he passed with flying colors,” Cox said. “He was a good 2-year-old and could be a great 3-year-old. He’s acted like a bigger, better, stronger horse.”

Dragoon Guard does have the appearance of a stout colt who can continue improving and negotiate at least 1 1/8 miles, and a class hike in his next start seems likely. A Juddmonte Farms homebred, Dragoon Guard is by the late Arrogate and out of the graded-turf stakes performer Filimbi, by Mizzen Mast.

There’s no grass racing in Dragoon Guard’s near future. He’s 3 for 3 at age 3 and headed upward after landing Saturday’s Grade 3.

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