The Ohio Derby Offers a New Opportunity for the Triple Crown Contenders

Chip Honcho and Desert Gate headline an attractive field of 10 contenders at Thistledown, where Ocelli (photo), Bull by the Horns, and Robusta will also be present

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio (Special for Turf Diario).– After remaining vacant of top-tier stars during the three weeks separating the Preakness Stakes (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1), the American calendar once again gathers several of the generation's best 3-year-olds this Saturday in the Ohio Derby (G3), which will distribute US$ 500,000 over 1800 meters on the dirt at Thistledown.

Four of the contenders arrive coming from the Preakness contested on May 16 at Laurel Park: Chip Honcho(Connect), Ocelli (Connect), Bull by the Horns (Essential Quality), and Robusta (Accelerate), who finished third, fourth, sixth, and ninth, respectively. For Ocelli and Robusta, this will also mark a new appearance after having also competed in the Kentucky Derby (G1), where they finished third and fourteenth. Another with experience in Louisville is Albus (Yaupon), winner of the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2), who occupied the 15th spot in the Derbyand will reappear here following that performance.

The name that stands out in the preview is Desert Gate, saddled by Bob Baffert for the silks of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. The son of Omaha Beach arrives in full ascent after winning consecutively in the Hot Springs Stakes (L) at Oaklawn Park and in the Texas Derby (L) at Lone Star Park, performances that installed him as the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

With high-level credentials since his 2-year-old season, when he captured the Best Pal Stakes (G3), Desert Gate will also count on the riding of Flavien Prat, who will travel from New York to fulfill the commitment.

His main rival in the betting is Chip Honcho (3-1), a representative of Steve Asmussen who will once again have José Ortiz in his irons. The Puerto Rican jockey comes off a brilliant spring alongside Golden Tempo (Curlin), winner of both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, and was precisely the one who guided Chip Honcho in the Preakness, where he finished third, 4 1/2 lengths behind the victor Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map).

Winner of the Gun Runner Stakes (L) at the close of his juvenile campaign, Chip Honcho will now seek his first stakes success of the season, after adding outstanding performances in competitions such as the Risen Star Stakes(G2), where he was second to Paladin (Gun Runner), and the Lecomte Stakes (G3), in which he finished fourth behind Golden Tempo himself.

The field of graded stakes winners is completed by Trendsetter (Modernist), victor of the Lexington Stakes (G3) for Ben Colebrook and recent third in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3), in addition to Albus, who will attempt to regain a starring role after his frustrated pass through Churchill Downs.

The feature race will close a 12-race card at Thistledown and will be accompanied by four other stakes, including the Lady Jacqueline Stakes (L), endowed with US$ 250,000 and reserved for mares over the same distance as the Ohio Derby.