Tabeguache runs down Slip Mahoney in St. Louis Derby
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From December through March, Tabeguache was doing nothing more than light to moderate exercise, his one race as a 2-year-old of 2022 an unmemorable sixth-place finish in an Oct. 22 maiden race in New York. Meanwhile, Slip Mahoney was establishing himself as a fringe Triple Crown candidate. But this is August, not winter and spring, and on Saturday night at FanDuel Racing, Tabeguache showed that he’s currently a better 3-year-old than Slip Mahoney.
Favored at 8-5 in the $250,000 St. Louis Derby, Slip Mahoney had a two-length lead in upper stretch, but Tabeguache ran him down to win by a head. Manny Esquivel rode the winner for owner Jeff Drown and trainer Brad Cox, who also sent out Slip Mahoney, and won his first St. Louis Derby.
The Cox pair streaked away from limited competition over the final furlong as Denington, still in contention turning for home, finished third, 8 1/2 lengths behind Slip Mahoney. Pacesetting Billy Jack faded to a distant fourth and Carcano was several lengths behind him in a field reduced to five after Hayes Strike was an early scratch and Shouldaboughtdabar a late scratch.
Tabeguache, who made his first start for trainer Chad Brown, has come steadily forward through the summer. After finishing a well-beaten second in a Horseshoe Indianapolis maiden route making his 3-year-old debut, Tabegauche began racing in blinkers. He won an Indiana maiden race on June 24 and came back with a superior performance beating older first-level allowance rivals on July 19, earning this trip to southern Illinois.
Breaking from post 1, Tabegauche raced behind the leader and inside, trapped in the pocket through a slow half-mile in 49.34 seconds. Esquivel extricated his mount past the three-furlong marker to race inside Denington as that pair gave chase to Slip Mahoney, who had taken the lead from Billy Jack at about the five-sixteenths pole, briefly going clear. Tabeguache ground his way closer to Slip Mahoney in upper stretch, but after the colt belatedly changed leads he bore down on the favorite with a purpose, nipping him in the final strides.
Tabeguache was timed in 1:46.42 for 1 1/16 miles over a muddy, sealed racing surface. He paid a ridiculously generous $18.20, the longest shot in the field despite his clearly improving form and upside on the night.
Tabeguache is by Into Mischief out of More Mojo, by More Than Ready. A maiden a mere two months ago, the colt became a stakes winner Saturday just outside St. Louis.
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