Remington Park Derby and Oaks Selections

A total of eight stakes races, led by a pair of Grade 3 tilts for sophomores to conclude the card, will highlight a huge evening of racing at Remington Park on Sunday. 

Race 9 – Oaks

Eight three-year-old fillies will travel 1 1/16 miles on the dirt and I will give the edge to morning-line favorite #8 Ancient Peace (5-2). Purchased for $650,000 at Keeneland in January, the daughter of War Front finished a fine second to Window Shopping in the Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita in June, and she will be a menacing figure with something close to that performance. The speedy Ontario-bred will make her first appearance since joining the Brian Lynch shedrow, and her ample early speed will help offset the outside post draw with Rafael Bejarano in the stirrups. This dark bay filly will be forcing the tempo from the start. 

Race 10 – Derby

A huge field of 13 will go postward in the finale, which will be contested at 1 1/8 miles on the main surface. I’ll be centering my wagers around a pair of contenders in the cast, including #4 Cagliostro (8-1) for conditioner Cherie DeVaux. The Upstart colt has won or placed in five of his six outings this season, coming in with a third in the Indiana Derby (G3) and a clear second in the Smarty Jones S. (G3) at Parx most recently. The Florida-bred colt has been consistently good and is due to break through in a race of this nature sooner than later. Christian Torres will pilot the stalker. 

The Brad Cox-trained #13 Hit Show (3-1) was assigned the widest post in the field, but I think that the Candy Ride colt is good enough to overcome the draw. This Grade 3 victor has been facing the best in his division since the spring while delivering very good efforts, and his best showing will make him extremely tough to knock off in the contest. Gary and Mary West’s homebred will race with blinkers on for the first time, and if the pair of recent bullet morning drills are any indication, then Hit Show will be ready to roll on Sunday. Flavien Prat riding is a bonus.