Troy, Grogu target first stakes win in Robert Dupret Derby

Grogu, who starts with a leading chance in Saturday’s $75,000 Robert Dupret Derby at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Calif., represents the entirety of trainer Matt Troy’s stable.

“I’m calling this the summer of Grogu,” Troy said Thursday.

A winner of 2 of 11 starts, Grogu is the lone horse Troy is currently training. Saturday’s race will be Grogu’s turf stakes debut and a chance for his 52-year-old trainer to record a first stakes win.

Troy has found an easy race. The Dupret Derby, run at 1 1/16 miles, drew a field of seven. None are stakes winners.

Grogu was a well-beaten fifth in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields in February. Keep Movin’ On was ninth of 10 in the Snow Chief Stakes for statebred 3-year-olds at Santa Anita in May. Of the seven runners, six have run for a claiming price.

Grogu was second by a nose in an allowance race at a mile on turf on May 26 at Golden Gate Fields. He was entered to be claimed for $50,000 that day.

“That was maybe my worst beat in 10 years,” Troy said.

:: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets.

Grogu rebounded to lead throughout a starter allowance at 1 1/16 miles against older horses on dirt July 7 at Pleasanton, a victory helped by a track friendly to front-runners, Troy said.

“We kind of had the bias,” Troy said.

Grogu, who races for owner and breeder Dominic Savides, is not reliant on leading. In March, he closed from fourth in a field of seven to win a maiden race on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields as the 1-2 favorite. In the Dupret Derby, Grogu is likely to stalk Baby Waylon, who has not raced since a win in a maiden race on turf at Santa Anita last December.

“This is the right spot and a chance to run against straight 3-year-olds,” Troy said.

“There is a little pressure since he’ll be one of the top choices. The distance shouldn’t be a problem.”

Keep Movin’ On, trained by Steve Specht, is expected to go favored on the strength of a win in a starter allowance against older horses at a mile and 70 yards on June 22 at Pleasanton. Keep Movin’ On has turf experience, with a win in a one-mile maiden race at Golden Gate Fields last November.

Keep Movin’ On and Baby Waylon are the only runners with turf wins.

There were two supplements for $1,250 when entries were taken Wednesday – Novinophobia, who will race on turf and at a mile for the first time Saturday, and Bravo Ragazzo, a maiden who was second on turf at Golden Gate Fields in May.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.