Road to the 2020 Kentucky Derby: Indiana Derby analysis

Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Indiana Grand, July 8, 2020
(20 Derby qualifying points for a win, 8 for second, 4 for third, 2 for fourth)

Winner: Shared Sense, by Street Sense
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Owner: Godolphin LLC
Beyer Speed Figure: 92

With four Derby preps (this, the Blue Grass, Peter Pan, and Haskell) scheduled to be run within a 10-day period, and with this offering the fewest points of those four toward the Kentucky Derby, it stood to reason that this would come up with a field of horses not yet at the top level. SHARED SENSE made the most of the opportunity, winning his graded stakes debut against eight rivals, who, like him, had never won a graded stakes race.

The Beyer Speed Figure was decent, but several notches below what the best of this division are producing at the moment. But Shared Sense clearly is improving. His Beyer figures continue to trend north, and this was a career best. He’s by a Derby winner, and his dam is by a Preakness winner. He might not be ready for prime time by Sept. 5, but he’s certainly one to watch in coming months if he continues to progress for a top-notch outfit.

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In this race, Shared Sense was outrun heading to the first turn and wound up eighth of nine, toward the rear of a bunched field while saving ground. He moved inside rivals heading down the backstretch, angled outside EXTRAORDINARY three furlongs out while just behind the dueling leaders, angled farther out to go after the leaders from the four path coming off the bend, then kicked clear through the lane.

MAJOR FED, who finished second, checked between rivals leaving the gate, resulting in him being last into the first turn while following Shared Sense. He was taken to the center of the track down the backstretch and wound up four to five paths wide heading into the far turn, and he was five wide while rallying on that turn. He was floated out by Shared Sense nearing the quarter pole, couldn’t go with the winner in upper stretch, but finished off the race well enough. He’s had tough trips in his last couple of starts and is clearly at his best when held up early and allowed to make one run.

NECKER ISLAND, who was third, stumbled badly leaving the gate, his nose touching the ground, and then he advanced outside rivals to go into the first turn in the four path while pressing the pace. He moved to vie for the lead from the three path on the far turn, drifted in in upper stretch while failing to stave off Shared Sense, and couldn’t hold off Major Fed late.

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EARNER, who was fourth, pressed the pace of TAISHAN while three paths wide around the first turn, volleyed for the lead on the far turn between Taishan and Necker Island, couldn’t go with the winner in upper stretch, drifted in while being herded by Necker Island, then tired late.

Extraordinary, who finished fifth, veered in at the start, then was checked heading into the first turn and followed Taishan around that turn. He was sent along three furlongs out while hugging the rail but had insufficient response, was a bit late to change leads in upper stretch while being guided off the rail, then finished evenly while no threat to the top four.

Taishan, who was sixth, was sent away from the gate the first few strides to establish the lead, then was allowed to set the pace while going along at a sensible clip. He led to the far turn, was sent along when challenged for supremacy three furlongs out, was under an energetic ride all the way around the turn, but was done by upper stretch and steadily faded.

WINNING IMPRESSION, who was seventh, was bumped by rivals on both sides of him leaving the gate, then went into the first turn four paths wide, following Necker Island. He remained wide down the backstretch, went into the far turn three to four paths wide, had no response when Major Fed ranged up outside him three furlongs out, and retreated.

BACKGROUND, who was eighth, raced between rivals while two to three paths wide and just behind the leaders around the first turn, then took up and lost position heading into the backstretch. He took up again nearing the far turn and dropped back to last, took up yet another time while trailing, made a mild run after that outside Winning Impression and came into the lane in the five path, but never recovered. He might be worth watching when back in a first-level allowance, to which he’s still eligible.

NO GETTING OVER ME, who finished last of nine, was rated in traffic behind Extraordinary while along the rail around the first turn, then was being outrun going into the far turn when he took up between rivals, after which he pretty much quit.