Exiting a runner-up effort to Irap (Tiznow) in the GIII Indiana Derby July 15, A. J. Foyt Jr.'s Colonelsdarktemper seized command of Saturday's GIII West Virginia Derby soon after the break and made every pole a winning one, besting Game Over and GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Lookin at Lee at Mountaineer Park.
Sent off at juicy ods, Colonelsdarktemper hit the ground running and took an accomplished field along while well rated by journeyman jockey Jon Court through a half-mile in :47.85 and three-quarters in 1:13.05. He began to up the tempo leaving the three-eighths marker, turned for home clearly in front and managed to stave off a late bid from perfect-trip Game Over for the victory. Lookin at Lee trailed early, commenced a wide rally with three furlongs to travel and made ground belatedly to finish third while no menace to the top two.
Court, who turns 57 this November, rode Colonelsdarktemper for his father-in-law Jinks Fires.
“I had spoken with [Jinks] about the possibility of no one really wanting the lead and whether it could produce a favorable result to try to get it,” said Court. “He allowed me to dictate the pace, and it paid off big. Jinks has done a great job with this horse, not only the physical but the mental. This horse is all business.”
Allowed to regroup following an eighth in the GIII Pat Day Mile in May, Colonelsdarktemper was the game winner of a one-mile allowance at Churchill May 29 before finishing solid runner-up to 'TDN Rising Star' McCraken (Ghostzapper) in the GIII Matt Winn S. The latter returned to just miss in the GI betfair.com Haskell Invitational S. July 30. Sent off at 11-1 for the July 15 Indiana Derby, Colonelsdarktemper was forced into a wide trip from a high draw and stayed on well to be a distant second Irap, whose wins in the Toyota Blue Grass, Ohio Derby in addition to the Indiana Derby have been exceptionally productive.
Pedigree Notes:
Similar to the aforementioned Irap, Colonelsdarktemper is bred on the very successful cross of Tiznow over Storm Cat which has been responsible for the likes of champion Folklore, promising young sire Morning Line and Tiz Wonderful, among others. Colonelsdarktemper is the 15th black-type winner and seventh graded winner for his sire, who has joined his paternal half-brothers Tiz Wonderful and Tizway among the stallion ranks in Korea. Sweet Temper is a winning daughter of the Charlie Whittingham-trained Pattern Step (Nureyev), winner of the 1988 GI Hollywood Oaks and subsequently the dam of the stakes winners Seattle Pattern (Seattle Slew) and Total Bull (Fusaichi Pegasus). Ironically, Pattern Step's MGSP daughter Woodman's Dancer (Woodman) was the dam of 2011 GI Arkansas Derby winner Archarcharch (Arch), who was trainer Jinks Fires's most recent graded winner prior to Saturday's race. The dam of a yearling colt by Artie Schiller, Sweet Temper was most recently bred to Outwork (Uncle Mo).
Saturday, Mountaineer
WEST VIRGINIA DERBY-GIII, $750,000, MNR, 8-5, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.68, ft.
1–#@COLONELSDARKTEMPER, 118, c, 3, by Colonel John
1st Dam: Sweet Temper, by Stormy Atlantic
2nd Dam: Pattern Step, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Tipping Time, by Commanding II
($35,000 Ylg '15 FTKOCT). O-Anthony J. Foyt, Jr.; B-Hargus Sexton, Sandra Sexton & Silver Fern Farm, LLC (KY); T-William H. Fires; J-Jon Kenton Court. $446,250. Lifetime Record: 8-3-2-1, $653,050. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. [bullet ad=”warrendale-sold-congratulations-to-all-the-connections”][bullet ad=”winstar-eligible-youre-a-winner”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″] 2–Game Over, 118, c, 3, Mineshaft–Kaweah Princess, by Soto. ($100,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Loooch Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Al Graziani & Joe Russell (KY); T-Jorge Navarro. $150,000.[bullet ad=”warrendale-sold-congratulations-to-all-the-connections”][bullet ad=”winstar-bred”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]3–Lookin At Lee, 118, c, 3, Lookin At Lucky–Langara Lass, by Langfuhr. ($70,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-L and N Racing LLC; B-Ray Hanson (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $75,000.
Margins: 1, 3 1/4, NK. Odds: 7.00, 4.30, 4.60.
Also Ran: Patch, Silver Dust, Phat Man, McCormick, B Squared, Impressive Edge, Heartwood. Scratched: Watch Me Whip.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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