Todd has options with Emerald Derby winner Opportunistic
According to owner Glen Todd, last Sunday’s Emerald Downs Derby winner, Opportunistic, was scheduled to arrive at his home base of Hastings on Thursday and will make his next start in either the Grade 3, $150,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park on Aug. 20 or the $50,000 Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial on Aug. 22.
Along with Mark Dedomenico, Todd owns Opportunistic, who staged a thrilling stretch duel with the previously undefeated Barkley in the Derby. Opportunistic won by a head, and the difference in trips had a lot to do with the outcome of the 1 1/8-mile race.
With David Lopez aboard, Opportunistic saved ground most of the way, and it looked like he might be stuck behind horses with nowhere to go at the top of the stretch. However, a tiring Mach One Rules drifted out, and he split horses with authority. Conversely, Barkley got floated out wide on the first turn by Mach One Rules and went at least four wide while making a strong move on the stretch turn. They hooked up at the eighth pole, and the battle was on.
“David gave him a great ride,” Todd said. “That was a very nice horse he beat. I watched his other races and knew how game he was. He may have lost to our horse, but he gained my respect. That was a hell of a race.”
Todd’s main goal with Opportunistic is the British Columbia Derby, a race he has been trying to win for years.
Trainer Howard Belvoir said Barkley came out of the race in such good shape that he had to train him Wednesday.
“I usually don’t bring them back to the track that quickly after a big race like that, but he was full of himself,” Belvoir said. “We are just starting to look at what to do next with him.”
Belvoir nominated Barkley to the Grade 3, $200,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 14 but said it was doubtful he would run.
“The race is there, and if none of the top horses nominated from California show up, we might run him,” he said. “I don’t like to bring a good horse back that quickly, though, so the odds are against it.”
Opportunistic and Barkley earned career-high 86 Beyer Speed Figures in the Derby.
Saturday card
Post time for the first race Saturday is 2 p.m. Pacific. Cinematic Cat will try to win his fourth straight race when he runs in an $8,000 conditional-claiming race that will serve as the feature for the 10-race card.
Cinematic Cat won an open, $5,000 claiming race for trainer Charles Essex on July 24; he will be making his first start for trainer Debbie Van Horne on Saturday. Horne was acting on behalf of Ramon Ceron when she claimed him out of the race.
The six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up drew eight horses and goes as the ninth race.