Five Star General figures to go on to British Columbia Derby

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – According to owner-trainer Glen Todd, Five Star General came out of his impressive win in the $50,000 Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial at Hastings on Monday in excellent shape and will make his next start in the Grade 3, $250,000 British Columbia Derby on Sept. 7.

Five Star General was making his first start for Todd, who purchased the son of Distorted Humor for $180,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton selected horses of racing age sale on July 8.

He won the $101,000 Central Park Stakes on Aqueduct’s main track as a 2-year-old. He went into the Derby Trial off a solid effort in the $50,000 Stanton at Delaware Park, where he was elevated to second in the 1 1/16-mile race on turf June 12.

With Mario Gutierrez riding, he showed he can handle a bullring with a relatively easy 2 1/4-length victory over Stay Fantastic in the Derby Trial.

“I had a lot of horse the whole way,” said Gutierrez. “He can do better, though. I think they need to open his blinkers a little more so he can see what is going on around him.”

“The first thing Mario said when he came back to the winners circle is he needs to see more,” said Todd. “We’re certainly going to listen to him.”

Todd said that Gutierrez, who won the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar aboard Kingly for trainer Bob Baffert on Sunday, would be back to ride Five Star General for the B.C. Derby.

“Del Mar is over by then so he should be available,” said Todd.

The 84 Beyer Speed Figure Five Star General received was the highest of the winners of the six stakes on the day. Calgary Caper, the B.C. Cup Classic winner, and Sunburst in the Hong Kong Jockey Club for 3-year-old fillies tied for second with 80 Beyers.

Diodoro has derby prospects

Trainer Robertino Diodoro said Oil Money and Rocknroll Rocket are being considered for the B.C. Derby.

Going a middle distance for the first time, Oil Money led from start to finish going 1 1/8 miles in the $75,000 Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs Monday. Rocknroll Rocket rallied late to finish third.

“I’ve taken them back to Canterbury where we will decide what we are going to do with them” said Diodoro. “The derby is a strong possibility.”

Diodoro won last year’s derby with Sky Promise and the 2017 version with Chief Know It All.

◗ Sante Fe Trail is a possibility in a wide-open $6,250 claimer that headlines Friday’s seven-race card. Post time for the first race is 7 p.m. Pacific.

Santa Fe Trail doesn’t want to sprint and he is coming off a third-place finish for the same price going 6 1/2 furlongs on July 26. He should relish the extra distance he gets to work with in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, which drew eight horses.

A 6-year-old son of Skimming, Santa Fe Trail was claimed out of his last race by trainer Demetris Topouzis, who was acting on behalf of M J D Stables.