Vertem Futurity Trophy Post Stakes Racing Roundup

©2018 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

This Saturday, the European road to the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1) takes us to Doncaster Racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England where MAGNA GRECIA has been tabbed as the 7-5 Twinspires.com morning line favorite in the Group One Vertem Futurity Trophy Post Stakes.

To date, Magna Grecia is 1-1-0 in two starts for trainer Aidan O’Brien and he comes into this race off second-place finish in the Masar Godolphin Autumn Stakes (Group 3). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

MAGNA GRECIA close up, headway on outer over 2f out, ridden and every chance from over 1f out, dueled with winner inside final furlong until close home.

Magna Grecia showed a lot of grit dueling with Persian King in the final furlong but came up a neck shy of victory.

Invincible Spirit, the sire of Magna Grecia, was a competitive sprinter that compiled a 7-1-1 record in 17 starts.

As a two-year-old, Invincible Spirit compiled a 2-0-1 record in four starts with wins in the Selsey Maiden Stakes and Ripon Champion Trophy Stakes.

Invincible Spirit only made two starts at three and he finished off the board in both those starts.

As a four-year-old, Invincible Spirit was 3-1-0 in six starts and he was the top-rated older sprinter in Ireland in 2001. His stakes wins were in the Aon MacDonagh Boland Stakes (Group 3), the Ruinart Champagne Hackwood Stakes and the M-real Conditions Stakes. He finished second in Prix de Meautry Royal Barriere Stakes (Group 3).

At the age of five, Invincible Spirit was 2-0-0 in five starts with victories in the Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup (Group 1) and Duke of York Stakes (Group 3).

As a stallion, Invincible Spirit has sired numerous Group Stakes winners including the Classic Champion Thorougbreds Lawman and Kingman.

His best runner on the Kentucky Derby Trail was Vale of York who won the 2009 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

With an A Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® Magna Grecia has the potential to earn Group Stakes honors and I look for him to run another good race.

A long shot I like is CIRCUS MAXIMUS (15-1) and he’s also trained by O’Brien. He comes into this race with a 1-0-1 record in three starts including a third-place finish in the Masar Godolphin Autumn Stakes (Group 3). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

CIRCUS MAXIMUS tracked leaders, ridden to lead 2f out, headed and short of room entering final furlong, kept on one pace.

Circus Maximus was running well along the rail when he was slightly impeded by Persian King in the final strides.

Galileo, the sire of Circus Maximus, is a Classic Champion Thoroughbred and multiple Group Stakes winner that compiled during his racing career a 6-1-0 record in eight starts with $2,245,373 in career earnings.

Galileo made only one start as a two-year-old, easily winning by an impressive 14 lengths.

As a three-year-old, Galileo won his season debut in the Ballysax Stakes. He followed that with his first Group win in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trail Stakes (Group 3). Galileo then earned classic honors with wins in the Vodafone Epsom Derby (Group 1) and the Budweiser Irish Derby (Group 1). His last group win was in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Group 1).

As a stallion, Galileo was champion sire in 2008 and from 2010 to 2017 with 73 Group One winners and numerous Classic Champion Thoroughbreds:

Capri (St. Leger, Irish Derby,), Found (Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe), Frankel (2,000 Guineas), Australia (Epsom Derby, Irish Derby), Ruler Of The World (Epsom Derby), Magician (Irish 2,000 Guineas), Gleneagles (2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas), The Gurkha (French 2,000 Guineas), Churchill (2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas), Roderic O’Connor (Irish 2,000 Guineas), Treasure Beach (Irish Derby), Capri (Irish Derby, St. Leger), Soldier Of Fortune (Irish Derby), Order Of St George (Irish St. Leger), Cape Blanco (Irish Derby), Sixties Icon (St. Leger) and New Approach (Epsom Derby).

With an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® Circus Maximus is the best-bred colt in this herd. He’s an improving colt with the potential to take another step forward in his fourth start of the season and, perhaps, upset at a nice price.

TURGENEV (4-1) comes into this race with a 2-1-0 record in three starts for trainer John Gosden including a win in the British EBF Crown At Stowupland Novice Stakes last out at New Market Racecourse. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

TURGENEV chased leaders, progress to lead over 3f out, driven clear over 1f out, easily.

Turgenev looked good cruising to an easy novice stakes victory to runner up Il Paradiso who was a yearling (Hip 201) we profiled at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Dubawi, the sire of Turgenev, is a multiple Group Stakes winner and Classic Champion Thoroughbred that compiled a 5-1-1 record in eight starts.

As a two-year-old, he was undefeated in three starts with wins in the National Stakes (Group 1) and Superlative Stakes (Group 3).

At the age of three, Dubawi was 2-1-1 in five starts with wins in the Prix Jacques Le Marois (Group 1) and the Irish 2,000 Guineas (Group). He finished second in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1) and he was third to Motivator and Walk In The Park in the Epsom Derby Stakes (Group 1).

As a stallion, Dubawi is the sire of numerous Group Stakes winners including the Classic Champion Thoroughbreds Makfi, Waldpark and Night of Thunder. His best runner on the Kentucky Derby Trail was Mubtaahij who finished eighth in the 2015 Derby.

With an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® Turgenev is the second-best-bred colt in this herd and I look for him to run a good race.

Honorable mention goes to King Ottokar (20-1) and Phoenix of Spain (5-1).

*****

A total of 35 prep races comprise the USA Road to the Kentucky Derby. In addition, there are seven races on the European road and four races on the Japan road to Derby glory.

EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer

1. Mohawk (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien

2. Japan, 10, Aidan O’Brien

3. Royal Marine (IRE), 10, Saeed bin Suroor

4. Sydney Opera House (GB), 4, Aidan O’Brien

5. Mount Everest (IRE), 4, Aiden O’Brien

6. Broome (IRE), 4, Aiden O’Brien

7. Cape of Good Hope (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien

8. Power of Now (IRE), 2, M. O’Callaghan

9. Anodor (FR), 1, F. Head

10. Victory Command, (IRE), 1, Mark Johnston

11. Sovereign (IRE), 1, Aiden O’Brien

12. Boitron (FR), Richard Hannon

2018/2019 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Game Winner, 10, Bob Baffert, $360,000

2. Knicks Go, 10, Ben Colebrook, $314,085

3. Complexity, 10, Chad Brown, $275,000

4. Cairo Cat, 10, Ken McPeek, $86,490

5. Signalman, 4, Ken McPeek, $100,000

6. Code of Honor, 4, Shug McGaughey

7. Tight Ten, 4, Steve Asmussen, $67,900

8. Gunmetal Gray, 4, Jerry Hollendorfer, $60,000

9. Call Paul, 2, Jason Servis, $170,000

10. Rowayton, 2, Jerry Hollendorfer, $96,000

11.+Standard Deviation, 2, Chad Brown, $50,000

12. Pole Sitter, 2, Brad Cox, $17,950

13. Sombeyay, 1, Todd Pletcher, $158,500

14. Tobacco Road, 1, Steve Asmussen, $51,150

15. +Aurelius Maximus, 1, Chad Brown, $30,000

16. Jefe, 1, Keith Desormeaux, $18,000

          + = Horses picked as yearlings on 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sales list.