Indiana Grand takes its turn in the spotlight Wednesday evening when the $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3) and $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) headline a stakes-laden 12-race program.
A cast of 10 sophomore colts and geldings signed up for the 1 1/8-miles Indiana Derby, which is an official stop on the road to the 2020 Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5. The top four finishers receive qualifying points towards the Kentucky Derby paid out on a 20-8-4-2 scale.
Major Fed, who leads the field with 30 points to rank 16th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, drew post No. 8 and will have new rider James Graham in the irons. A homebred for Lloyd Madison Farms, the Ghostzapper colt tallied Kentucky Derby points this winter/early spring at Fair Grounds when running second to Modernist in the Risen Star (G2) and fourth behind winner Wells Bayou (G2) in the Louisiana Derby.
Major Fed most recently finished dead last with a wide trip in the May 23 Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill Downs won by Maxfield.
West Point Thoroughbreds and Pearl Racing’s Winning Impression, who drew post no. 9, is the only other starter on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard. The son of Paynter ranks 25th after running fourth most recently in the May 2 Arkansas Derby (G2). Prior to that, Winning Impression won an entry-level allowance at Oaklawn.
Also meriting big looks in this field are Taishan, Earner and Shared Sense. Taishan had the looks of one to watch early this spring for trainer Richard Baltas when winning an Oaklawn allowance with a high speed figure and then coming back to be a decent third in the April 11 Oaklawn Stakes when going 1 1/8 miles.
However, the son of Twirling Candy returned in the Arkansas Derby where he languished in mid-pack before steadily fading to dead last, beaten some 30 lengths. Taishan will have Rafael Bejarano aboard for the first time.
Joann and Alex Lieblong’s Earner was a sharp maiden winner at Oaklawn in April. He came back on June 12 at Churchill Downs to run third behind Man in the Can, an entrant in this past weekend's Kentucky Derby Future Wager, and Ohio Derby (G3) winner Dean Martini after setting the pace at this same nine furlong trip. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the $425,000 son of Carpe Diem will be ridden by Stewart Elliot for the first time.
Shared Sense is a Godolphin homebred by Street Sense who most recently was no match for Art Collector when second, beaten 6 1/2 lengths on June 13 at Churchill Downs. However, that effort returned a competitive speed figure that puts the Brad Cox-trainee squarely in the mix.
Post time for the Indiana Derby is set for approximately 7:45 p.m. Eastern.
