Derby Remix: Can't catch Uncle Chuck

"I bought a brand-new air-mobile

It was custom-made, 'twas a Flight De Ville

With a powerful motor and some hideaway wings

Push in on the button and you will hear her sing"

We may not yet have flying cars, like the ones Chuck Berry imagined in "You Can't Catch Me," yet. But a classy racehorse in full stride might be the next best thing. Uncle Chuck may be the brand-new air-mobile of the 3-year-old class.

The Bob Baffert trainee went gate to wire in his debut win at Santa Anita on June 12. Even though he wasn't away perfectly, he soon led and beat overmatched maidens by seven lengths.

On Saturday in the Los Alamitos Derby (G3), he had to answer whether he could beat winners and possibly more. Would jockey Luis Saez have to send to the lead at the beginning, or would Uncle Chuck be as good if someone made a race of it?

Great Power came away quickly and settled onto the lead. It wouldn't be an exhibit of raw speed from start to finish for Uncle Chuck. Instead, Saez placed him outside, just behind the pace, and waited for the right time to make his move.

With 3 1/2 furlongs remaining, Saez pushed the button. Uncle Chuck moved on the outside and caught pacesetter Great Power by the 3-furlong mark. Past the quarter pole, Uncle Chuck's wings unfolded.

"Now you can't catch me, baby you can't catch me

'Cause if you get too close

You know I'm gone like a cool breeze"

Thousand Words, who ran his best race since he won the Robert B. Lewis (G3) on Feb. 1, gave chase. But, even under hard urging, he couldn't match Uncle Chuck. With each expansive stride, he drew farther clear, which left only a breeze and a few puffs of dust in his wake.

This won't be the last question Uncle Chuck has to answer before the Kentucky Derby (G1), of course. The Los Alamitos Derby was only his second start, and Uncle Chuck still has yet to prove himself against deeper fields and longer distances.

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Derby Remix is a weekly series that crosses the lines of culture and Kentucky Derby contenders.

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