Western Warrior, Tisum have many similarities entering Canadian Derby

Last-out stakes winners Western Warrior and Tisum will square off with a slew of familiar rivals in the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby on Saturday at Century Mile. The Kentucky-breds share striking similarities ahead of their second starts in Canada.

In a strange twist, Western Warrior and Tisum both won their respective stakes by a nose after closing from sixth. They were both making their first starts in Canada for new trainers and had previously run at Churchill Downs.

Western Warrior earned a 77 Beyer Speed Figure for winning the $125,000 Manitoba Derby going 1 1/8 miles at Assiniboia Downs, while Tisum earned a 69 in the $50,000 Count Lathum, a 1 1/16-mile race at Century Mile. Both drew inside posts last time out, but Tisum will break from post 10 in the Canadian Derby, while Western Warrior will run from post 12.

“Obviously, it wasn’t an ideal draw,” trainer Dino Condilenios said of Western Warrior. “I basically got the choice [in the pick-your-post draw format] between 11 and 12 and I just thought, being on the outside, you’re going to break cleaner. I think he’s got enough tactical speed where he can hopefully get a spot.”

The 1 1/4-mile Canadian Derby will be a new test for the field of 13, a dozen of whom are coming out of either the Manitoba Derby or Count Lathum. Western Warrior’s victory at 1 1/8 miles might have been a more convincing audition, and a zippy four-furlong workout in 46.80 seconds on Aug. 15 has given Condilenios everything he needs.

“He’s almost got a little confidence and a little swagger in the barn now,” Condilenios said. “When I first got him, he was a lot more timid. I don’t know if it was because of the long ship, so maybe he wasn’t quite himself. I’m not really sure, but he’s definitely changed.”

In nine starts for trainer Mark Casse, Western Warrior earned three victories and finished fourth as the favorite in the $200,000 Bathhouse Row at Oaklawn Park. He had about a month with Condilenios before making his debut in Manitoba Derby, where he closed from sixth and held in the late stages.

Trainer Dave Nicholson expressed similar optimism about Tisum, who was claimed by his current connections for $20,000 in June. The gelding ran one more time at Churchill before entering Nicholson’s barn about three weeks before the Count Lathum.

“When we first got him, we didn’t know much about him,” Nicholson said. “He had a long ship up here. He was a little tired when he got here, but he seemed to get better and better as the weeks went on.”

While Western Warrior blew through his pre-race workout for Condilenios, Tisum was more patient in his preparation for Nicholson. He completed a five-furlong workout around dogs – obstacles used to keep horses away from the rail during training hours – in 1:01.80 on Aug. 13, an obvious attempt to get ready for the 1 1/4-mile Canadian Derby.

Condilenios and Nicholson each entered another runner in the Canadian Derby. Condilenios will run Debrusk, who will put blinkers back on after running an uncomfortable seventh in the Count Lathum last time out. Nicholson entered Magicstrikesagain, the only runner in the field not exiting stakes company. The colt finished second in an allowance against older rivals on Aug. 3 but was disqualified and placed ninth.

The top five finishers in the Manitoba Derby and Count Lathum are all entered for colliding rematches. Quarry and Big Curl have the biggest scores to settle against Western Warrior and Tisum after coming up a nose short in game efforts.

◗ The Canadian Derby is the last of four stakes on a 12-race card, which will also include the $100,000 Century Casino Oaks, $100,000 Dale Saunders Speed to Spare, and $75,000 Northlands Park Distaff.

In the Oaks, Bartender and Evolution will square off again after finishing first and second in the $50,000 Manitoba Oaks at Assiniboia on Aug. 4.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro has the 7-2 morning-line favorite in the Speed to Spare, as Go Go Boss will try to make this one count after getting disqualified from a 4 1/4-length victory in the $50,000 Harvey Warner Manitoba Mile last time out.

In the Northlands Park Distaff, the undefeated filly Chi Chi Time will face off against last-out, 13 3/4-length stakes winner Big Hug and the three-time stakes winner Dontgiveupthefight.