E J Won the Cup has no problem with St. Louis Derby

E J Won the Cup made short work of four rivals in the $250,000 St. Louis Derby on Saturday night at FanDuel Sportsbook and Racing.

With Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in for the mount one night after he rode in West Virginia, E J Won the Cup went straight to the lead, appeared to a set a modest pace while utterly controlling the race, and dashed away from the chasers coming into the homestretch en route to an 11-length victory.

The six-furlong fractional time first published in the official chart, 1:08.60, was erroneous and on Sunday morning was amended to 1:12.47. Equibase hand-timed the race from replay and confirmed the rest of the fractions as well as the 1 1/16-mile final time, 1:43.64, easily the fastest St. Louis Derby since the race was revived in 2020. E J Won the Cup received, at least initially, a 101 Beyer Speed Figure, easily a career best.

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Whatever time he clocked, E J Won the Cup proved far faster than the quartet opposing him following the scratch of Okie Clipper, Flat Hanby, and Gould’s Gold. The winner paid $3 and distantly was followed home by Next Level. Show wagering was canceled following the three scratches.

Trained by Doug O’Neill for Superfecta King Stable, E J Won the Cup exited a tame fourth in the Indiana Derby last month and bounced back to something closer to the form he’d shown winning the $300,000 Texas Derby on May 27. By Omaha Beach out of Firsthand Report, by Blame, E J Won the Cup has craftily been managed through a 2024 campaign that already has netted his connections earnings of nearly a half-million dollars.

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