Surface should be more to Awesome Road's liking in Canadian Derby

Awesome Road should get a tighter track in the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby at Century Mile than he encountered in his most recent start and it could help him nail down his first stakes win Saturday.

The Canadian Derby is the richest of four stakes on a 13-race card. It will be run over 1 1/4 miles and is being supported by the $100,000 Century Casino Oaks, the $100,000 Speed to Spare Championship, and the $75,000 Northlands Distaff Handicap.

Awesome Road, who is part of a field of 11, was favored last out in the Manitoba Derby on Aug. 5 at Assiniboia Downs. He made a bid for the lead and ended up sixth, nine lengths behind winner Bricklayer. The 1 1/8-mile race run on a fast track went in 1:56.55.

“It was deep that day,” trainer Robertino Diodoro said. “It was the 76th running of the Manitoba Derby and it was the slowest Manitoba Derby in history.

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“If you watch the race – and not taking anything away from the winner because he’s become a nice horse – but when they went into the final turn he was still last and when he started moving he looked like Zenyatta because the whole front end was just staggering.”

Awesome Road was brought over to Century Mile the next day and has settled in well, according to Diodoro. The horse was a private purchase in May with designs on the Canadian Derby. He races for a partnership with ties to Canada and will be looking to give Diodoro, who is Canadian, his fifth win in the race. Diodoro won three editions of the Canadian Derby at the now-shuttered Northlands Park: Broadway Empire in 2013, Edison in 2014, and Sky Promise in 2018. Diodoro’s most recent win in the Canadian Derby came two years ago with Great Escape.

Awesome Road, by Quality Road, spent some time on the Kentucky Derby trail and in February was fourth in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes won by Mystik Dan. Mystik Dan would go on to win the Kentucky Derby, while Awesome Road went on to run third in an allowance at Oaklawn and fifth in the Texas Derby prior to the Manitoba Derby.

“He worked really well over the track this past Saturday,” Diodoro said.

August Rain, a multiple stakes winner at Hastings, will get good support in the Canadian Derby. He is 5 for 9 overall and is making his first start at Century Mile.

The field Saturday also includes McEwen, who closed for second in the Manitoba Derby, and Rousette, who was fifth in the race. Lord of Battle, who was an eight-length debut winner at Century Mile, led throughout when he won at two turns July 31.

Speed to Spare

Great Escape is back in town for the Speed to Spare, which will be run over 1 1/4 miles. Great Escape won the race last year and prior to that captured the Canadian Derby in 2022 at Century Mile.

Diodoro said the Speed to Spare long has been a premier race between Northlands and Century Mile.

“This race has been kind of the prestigious older horse race for years,” he said. “It’s been forever, as long as I can remember.”

Great Escape enters off a runner-up finish in the Century Mile Handicap.

“I think he’ll run a big race,” Diodoro said. “He’s trained very well. We know he loves the distance.

“He’s probably the best he’s ever looked right now. He’s kind of a hard keeper and this is the best I’ve seen him look in a long, long time. He’s put weight on. He looks great. So, we’re excited to run him again.”

The Speed to Spare drew a field of nine.

Century Casino Oaks

A pair of fillies in sharp form will clash in the Century Casino Oaks, which will be run over 1 1/8 miles.

Avana is seeking her fifth straight win. She’s won three stakes in her last three starts and overall boasts a career record of 4 for 5. Avana is unbeaten on dirt, with her lone loss coming on turf in her career debut at Del Mar. She has since been based at Hastings and is a daughter of Vino Rosso.

Midnight Lady is seeking her third straight win and enters off back-to-back stakes victories. Her latest came in the Manitoba Oaks. She is a daughter of Midnight Lute.

◗ Infinite Patience is the 126-pound highweight in the Northlands Distaff Handicap. She’s a multiple stakes winner at Hastings and has compiled a 5-for-5 record at Century Mile.

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