Flat Hanby takes aim at Oklahoma Derby off Canterbuy Derby victory

Flat Hanby suggested he has a bright future with his dominant win in the Canterbury Park Derby last Saturday and trainer Boyd Caster said he would be pleased to see the horse “progress” into a candidate for the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at his home track of Remington Park.

But before the Sept. 29 race, Caster said Flat Hanby will likely return to restricted company at his current base of Prairie Meadows. Caster said on Monday that Flat Hanby is under consideration for the $70,000 Iowa Stallion Stakes at one mile and 70 yards July 20.

“He came back super, absolutely super,” Caster said. “Chances are we’ll probably go in that Stallion Stakes, unless there’s something else around. But that’s probably a legitimate spot.”

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Flat Hanby was a six-length winner of the Canterbury Derby and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 92 – the second best Beyer at the current meet behind a 95 earned in a recent allowance by six-time stakes winner Tony’s Tapit. Flat Hanby was winning his third consecutive race, and his first attempt at two turns.

“It was uncharted territory,” Caster said. “He’d never went long, never ran shipping, his jockey had never been on him.”

The Canterbury-based Eduardo Gallardo rode Flat Hanby, a son of Flat Out who races for his breeders, JT Stables.

Flat Hanby won the one-mile Canterbury Derby in 1:36.97 on a muddy, sealed track. Caster noted the time was a full second faster than the 1:37.97 of the Brooks Fields Mile for older runners one race prior to the Canterbury Derby.

“If the horse would progress, we’d like to look at the Oklahoma Derby,” said Caster.

Flat Hanby also will likely be nominated to the $200,000 Super Derby on Sept. 2 at Louisiana Downs, said Caster.

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