Victory Nor Defeat possible for Indiana Derby

Victory Nor Defeat, a promising son of Unbridled’s Song who finished third in the Grade 2 Super Derby last weekend at Louisiana Downs, is being considered for a start in the Indiana Derby, said his trainer, Ralph Nicks. The Grade 2, $500,000 race will be run at Indiana Grand on Oct. 4.

Victory Nor Defeat invaded from Gulfstream Park for the Super Derby and finished third behind dominant winner Vicar’s in Trouble. For the effort, Victory Nor Defeat earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 86.

“He made it back to Florida okay, and all is well,” said Nicks, who trains Victory Nor Defeat for Sagamore Farm. “We don’t know what the next step will be, maybe the Indiana Derby. That’s the first possibility.”

Nicks was pleased with the Super Derby effort from Victory Nor Defeat, who was making just his fifth career start. It was also his first two-turn race on dirt and his first start against graded stakes competition.

“It was a big learning curve,” Nicks said. “He got little confused on the second turn, laid a little closer to the pace than he normally does, and it compromised his finish a little. He should really move forward off the race. The horse is lightly raced and still learning.”

Victory Nor Defeat finished eight lengths behind Vicar’s in Trouble while ending up three-quarters of a length off second-place finisher Declan’s Fast Cat. Victory Nor Defeat was the first Super Derby starter for Nicks, whose father, Morris, won the Louisiana Downs training title in 2011.