Make that four in the row. Dragoon Guard (Arrogate), who just last time out won the GIII Indiana Derby, added another state's Derby to his resume Sunday night in taking the GIII West Virginia Derby in gate to wire fashion to stretch his win streak to four.
Raced just once as a 2-year-old, the juvenile did well to finish second by a neck to SW Otto the Conquerer (Street Sense) at Churchill Downs during the September meet. Sidelined after that start, he returned as 3-year-old in April, breaking his maiden at Keeneland before taking his show on the road, winning an optional claimer at Churchill in early June and the aforementioned Indiana Derby last month all by clear margins.
The 3-5 favorite in this scratched-down field of six, Dragoon Guard easily assumed the front under regular pilot Florent Geroux after out-sprinting only a brief pace challenge from a pair of runners to his outside. Stretched out to a single-file line for the run up the backstretch, Dragoon Guard rated through fractions of :23.32 and :47.62 before rivals began to bunch up behind him led by Society Man (Good Magic) who looked to come through against the rail. That door was slammed shut, killing that runner's momentum now shifted to the outside and Dragoon Guard was left to outrun only a late-charging Dimatic (Gun Runner) who had to settle for a valiant second.
“It was a solid performance,” said winning trainer Brad Cox, who won his first West Virginia Derby. “He took another step forward, and we're very proud of him. We're not sure about the future schedule for him. We'll have to discuss that with the owner.”
Pedigree Note:
From the last crop of the great Arrogate, Dragoon Guard is one of is sire's 25 stakes winners. First dam Filimbi was a stakes winner in France and GSW/MGISP in the United States. From five foals to race, she's produced four winners, including this runner's full-brother, with Dragoon Guard being the most talented of the bunch to date. Second dam Flute, who took both the GI Kentucky Oaks and the GI Alabama Stakes, also produced the dams of GSW Current (Curlin), GISW Weep No More (Mineshaft) and GSW/G1SP Qabala (Scat Daddy). Filimbi does not have a 2-year-old but will be represented by a yearling Into Mischief filly and reported a filly by Constitution this year.
The West Virginia Derby goes to Dragoon Guard. pic.twitter.com/Tt4ZGSEQ0F
— Horse Racing Community (Lucien LaCroix) (@BobBaffart) August 5, 2024
Sunday, Mountaineer
WEST VIRGINIA DERBY-GIII, $500,000, Mountaineer Casino & Resort, 8-4, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.96, ft.
1–DRAGOON GUARD, 120, c, 3, by Arrogate
1st Dam: Filimbi (GSW & MGISP-USA, SW-Fr, $670,763), by Mizzen Mast
2nd Dam: Flute, by Seattle Slew
3rd Dam: Rougeur, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
O/B-Juddmonte (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $311,500. Lifetime Record: 5-4-1-0, $646,860. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dimatic, 118, c, 3, Gun Runner–Time to Tap, by Tapit. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $100,000.
3–Society Man, 120, g, 3, Good Magic–You Cheated, by Colonel John. ($85,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, West Paces Racing LLC, GMP Stables LLC, Carl F. and Yurie Pascarella; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Danny Gargan. $50,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 2HF, 6 1/4. Odds: 0.70, 9.30, 3.80.
Also Ran: Henro, Agate Road, McQueen. Scratched: Baxley, Mugatu, Next Level.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs.
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