Brother Francis ready to take on much accomplished boys in the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park
The maiden 3-year-old runner, Brother Francis, is yet to break his maiden, and after four starts, two in maiden special weight races and two in a grade 3 race and a grade 1 race, Brother Francis is already aiming for the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby
at Santa Anita Park at about 1 1/8 miles on dirt on 7 April, 2012.
Basically a maiden is a runner in racing terms who has never run a race before, and being one, Brother Francis is going to compete in the Grade 1 race, which usually reels in the best in the business, and if one takes a look at the lineup that the Santa
Anita Derby has, it becomes apparent that it is going to be a high quality encounter with Brother Francis in the mix.
Though, the Kentucky bred son of Lion Heart, out of mare Viapervita by Spectrum, Brother Francis has shown that he can compete with the best in the business. After finishing a close second in his debut race, Brother Francis turned in a close second place
finish to So Brilliant in the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue Stakes at about seven furlongs on the Hollywood Park cushion track.
He was right up there with the main contenders next time he races in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity Stakes when he finished a strong third to another Santa Anita Derby contender, Liaison.
Trained by James Cassidy for owner Norman Cheng, the conditioner is optimistic of Brother Francis’ chances in the Santa Anita Derby based on his training.
“He’s training really well,” Cassidy said. “He’s been so close in all his races, it’d be a shame not to run him. We tried to break his maiden last time, but a bit of a slow break cost us the race. Other than that, he ran great. I think the mile and an eighth
of the Santa Anita Derby will suit him.”
It will be a boost for Brother Francis’ chances because agent Tony Matos has went on to book the top jockey, Garrett Gomez for the Santa Anita Derby to mount Brother Francis.
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