Ohio Derby hot favourites - Celeb’s Posse and Wilkinson
Ohio state’s richest and only graded racing event, Ohio Derby, has drawn a field of ten contenders for its 77th running. The race is a Grade 3 event with a purse of $100,000. It is run over a distance of 8.5 furlongs.
The Ohio Derby is to take place on June 4, 2011. Among the possible contenders the names of Celeb’s Posse and Wilkinson are on top.
The race has a purse of $100,000. It is run over a distance of 8.5 furlongs.
Celeb's Posse turns out to be the top spot holder as his earnings compound to $245,805. He has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favourite. He is to schedule to arrive at Thistledown on June 2nd, 2011.
Celeb's Posse, the son of Posse, began this year by capturing a win in the Smarty Jones, which took place at the Oaklawn Park on January 17th, 2011. It has a purse of $100,000. With a win in the Smarty Jones, he boosted his earnings to $182,440.
Celeb’s Posse also finished 12th in the April 16th, 2011 Arkansas Derby, while being ridden by E. Razo. The race was eventually won by Archarcharch.
Celeb’s Posse was also runner up in the Rebel Stakes that took place on March 19, 2011.
The three year old colt races for McNeill Stables and Cheyenne Stables receives training from Donnie Ven Hemel, who had some reservations about racing the three year old bay colt, in the Ohio Derby, but now intends to let him race.
Von Hemel said “It's a good race with a lot of tradition, and we think he'll be competitive there, We think the mile-and-a-sixteenth distance is good for him and the timing sets him up for the Iowa Derby three weeks later. We're optimistic and looking to
have some fun”.
Celeb’s Posse’s prime rival for the Ohio Derby is the Neil Howard trained, Wilkinson. Wilkinson is considered as the 4-1 morning line favourite for the Ohio Derby.
The 3-year old colt makes his way to the Ohio Derby after scoring a win in an allowance race held on May 11, 2011 at Churchill Downs. He also scored a win at the $100,000 Lecomte Stakes. In the Grade 3 race, Wilkinson was ridden by Garrett Gomez.
Wilkinson is owned by his breeder Gaillardia Racing. The brown colt, who started racing in Kentucky, established a repute of never being worse than third in his first five starts. In an interview Howard was quoted saying the following about Wilkinson:
“This colt is really starting to mature. It took us a little time to get him going after minor problems like allergies and sore shins, but Mr. (owner Ed) Gaylord let me take some time with him and fire his shins and now it looks like the colt is coming along”.
Other possible contenders for the Ohio Derby include Global Power, El Grayling, Valient Tenebob, and, Le Mans.
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