The 2011 Super Derby looks to be an exciting renewal, with all the runners coming, making it the largest field in recent years
Playing with the dates of Grade 2 $500,000 Super Derby has paid off as entries for the 1 1/8 mile event lures in Grade 2 winners, Prayer for Relief and Alternation, and in all, a field of nine was drawn for the Louisiana Downs marquee race, now to be held
on 10 September, 2011.
Since many years, the Louisiana track has drawn its most competitive and largest field this year, with runners shipping and flying in from all across the globe, like Kentucky, New York, Southern California and Illinois.
Trent Mcintosh, who is the director of operations for Louisiana Downs, expressed with relish that what they have been able to pull off at this time of the year, conducting a Grade 2 event for 3-year-olds, has made them feel proud and anyone who in the U.S
conducts races at this time would be thrilled.
The 1 1/8 mile Super Derby reeled in immense talented three year olds from all over the coutry, and the main start out of the 3 year olds is the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes' winner, Alteration, who was the first to enter the gates for trainer Donnie Von Hemel.
Another prominent entrant is the Bob Baffert trained Prayer for Relief, who is coming off 3 wins in his last three races, including Grade 3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows on 25 June, 2011, and the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby on 6 August, 2011, which is also
run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles.
Prayer for Relief, for his unbeaten run in his last 3 races, was made the morning line favourite.
Other notable entries include Meistersinger, who will be shipped in from Fair Hills, with other notable companions, Awesome Bet and Malibu Blue, from Churchill Downs and Saratoga, respectively.
With all the favourites starting, there will be an inevitable buzz around the local talent participating in the race, with the likes of T Rubs, who is also thrown in to the mix after his emphatic Super Derby Prelude.
Malibu Glow could be the dark horse as he has finished fifth in both, Grade 2 Dwyer and Grade 1 Travers Stakes, and his trainer, Graham Motion, says that he is an adaptable horse, capable of spurring up a surprise or two.
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