EXACTA SYSTEMS DUELING GROUNDS DERBY, $350,000, KD, 9-10, 3yo, 1 5/16mT, 2:11.57, fm.
1–#BIG BEND, 118, c, 3, by Union Rags&log=">Union Rags
1st Dam: Lenatareese (SW & MGSP, $223,406), by Broad Brush
2nd Dam: Eubee (Fr), by Common Grounds (GB)
3rd Dam: Fextal, by Alleged
($105,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Union Rags Racing LLC; B-Daniel
J. Burke & Kathleen Schweizer (KY); T-Thomas F. Proctor;
J-Drayden Van Dyke. $210,490. Lifetime Record: 10-3-1-1,
$267,510. *1/2 to Miss Chatelaine (Pulpit), SW & GSP,
$234,072; and Taralena (Arch), MSP, $173,800.[bullet ad=”blackburn-farm-foaled-raised-sold”][bullet ad=”lynwood-stable-graduate”]2–Parlor, 120, c, 3, Lonhro (Aus)–My McIntosh, by Pulpit.
($60,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Anderson Stables, LLC; B-KatieRich
Farms (KY); T-Eddie Kenneally. $67,900.
3–Bronson, 124, c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Cambiocorsa, by Avenue
of Flags. ($350,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP; $275,000 3yo '17 FTKHRA).
O-Three Diamonds Farm; B-Ran Jan Racing, Inc. (KY); T-Michael
J. Maker. $33,950.[bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”][bullet ad=”taylor-made-hip-1076″][bullet ad=”elite-sales-grad”]Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 7.60, 2.40, 6.50.
Also Ran: Holiday Bonus, Gorgeous Kitten, Hollow Point, Society Beau, Capture the Glory. Scratched: Watch Me Whip, Muggsamatic, Giant Payday.
Big Bend made all the pace, appeared to be in deep water in midstretch, but responded valiantly to turn back all challengers and capture his first stakes win in the Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs.
Failing to find the mark in four dirt tries to begin his account, the $105,000 KEESEP grad scored wire-to-wire in his turf debut Feb. 12 at Tampa before running seventh in that oval's Columbia S. Mar. 11. Third in a Keeneland allowance Apr. 8 at sixth in a similar Monmouth spot June 10, the bay got back on track with a frontrunning success when stretching out to 12 furlongs July 13 at Delaware.
Given a 38-5 chance in this return to stakes waters, Big Bend was allowed to do his thing on the engine by Drayden Van Dyke and loped along through the opening seven furlongs or so. The field began to bunch nearing the top of the lane, with a host of challengers coming to call, but none more menacingly than 'TDN Rising Star' Parlor, who drew up alongside the leader at the three-sixteenths pole. That one appeared poised to run by, but Big Bend had something left, dug in resolutely and gradually turned his rival back to earn the victory.
The winner has a juvenile half-brother by Blame named What's to Blame and a weanling colt by Candy Ride (Arg). His dam was bred to Frosted this spring. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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