Dragoon Guard passes distance test to win Indiana Derby

Shelbyville, Ind.

Dragoon Guard passed his sternest test to date when winning the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby on Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis. More important for the connections of the Juddmonte homebred, he did it in such a way that augurs well for the future.

Ridden confidently from the outside post of seven starters, Dragoon Guard relaxed three wide into the first turn under Florent Géroux and then had no trouble taking control up the backside to spurt away from his foes. He looked a winner every step of the way of the 1 1/16-mile race that he completed in 1:42.26 on a main track rated fast.

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“That was a real nice two-turn debut,” Géroux said. “He had no issue getting position and waiting on my cue. He was really professional.”

Dragoon Guard began his career with a neck loss in September of his 2-year-old season, and trainer Brad Cox decided to give the gray Arrogate colt some time off. He returned in a seven-furlong race in April at Keeneland, winning by 3 3/4 lengths before beating allowance company in a one-turn mile in the slop June 2 at Churchill Downs.

“We saw this as a test for him, and he passed with flying colors,” Cox said. “He was a good 2-year-old, but we think he can be a great 3-year-old. He came back bigger and stronger, and we always thought he’d get better as he got older, which is why we gave him that time off.”

Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby seventh-place finisher Stronghold returned to the races to finish second, 2 1/2 lengths behind Dragoon Guard and three lengths better than third-place Informed Patriot. The 6-5 post-time favorite was the best of the rest but never threatened the winner.

“We wanted to establish position at the break, and Flo did a great job getting position and taking control of the race,” Cox said. “We didn’t necessarily want him on the lead but forward.”

Both Geroux and Cox agreed that farther should be no issue for Dragoon Guard, who is out of the Mizzen Mast mare Filimbi, a Grade 2 winner out of Kentucky Oaks and Alabama winner Flute.

“He’s still a work in progress,” Cox said. “We’ll probably take him to Saratoga to train, but whether that means he runs there who knows. Obviously there’s the Travers (G1) and the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). With a pedigree like that obviously you’re thinking stallion, but he’s big and talented, so we’re going to take our time. We know the talent is there.”

Off at 9-5, Dragoon Guard returned $5.80, $3.00 and $2.80. Stronghold paid $2.60 and $2.20. Informed Patriot returned $3.80 to show.