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Colonel John fires best shot late in Santa Anita Derby

Colonel John (left) is two-for-two this year, with both victories coming at 1 1/8 miles (Benoit Photo) WinStar Farm's homebred COLONEL JOHN (Tiznow) had three rivals to catch, and more than three lengths to make up, with one furlong to go in Saturday's $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1). Angling to the outside beneath Corey Nakatani, the Eoin Harty charge hit his best stride late to win going away by a half-length. In the process, Colonel John wrapped himself in the mantle of the West Coast's premier Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful. In the opening stages, Colonel John was content to rate in midpack while the trailblazing Coast Guard (Stormy Atlantic) dictated splits of :23 1/5 and :47 2/5. Bob Black Jack (Stormy Jack) was racing in second, poised near the flank of the pacesetter, and engaged him by the time they reached the six-furlong mark in 1:11 3/5. The pair continued their duel on the far turn and into the stretch, while Yankee Bravo (Yankee Gentleman) erupted into a contending third, and Colonel John worked his way into fourth. Bob Black Jack eventually subdued Coast Guard, and for a moment, it appeared as though the record-setting sprinter was on his way to his first two-turn score. Colonel John was just warming to his task, however. Rolling past Yankee Bravo and Coast Guard, the bay colt set his sights on Bob Black Jack and collared him in time. Colonel John blitzed 1 1/8 miles on the Cushion Track in 1:48, returning $7.20, $4 and $3.20 as the 5-2 second choice.

"It really hasn't sunk in yet, but feels like I won the million dollar St. Patrick's Day horseshoe pitching contest," Harty said, referring to a recent event at the Arcadia, California, track. "It's huge (to win the Santa Anita Derby). Historically, any horse that's run well here and come out of this race in one piece usually shows up and runs a very good race on (Kentucky) Derby Day, and that's what we're hoping for."

"Now I've got something to get really excited about," Nakatani said. "The Tiznow breeding is going to take us the mile and one-quarter. There is no question in my mind that this horse has the ability to win the Kentucky Derby, and he underscored that today."

Bob Black Jack had one length to spare over Coast Guard at the wire. The 6-1 runner-up furnished mutuels of $7.20 and $5.40, ended the $24.60 exacta ($1), and made his connections proud.

"The horse ran unbelievable, but that's a heartbreaker," said co-owner Tim Kasparoff, who is also the brother of trainer Jim Kasparoff. "We were home, I thought. Then right at the end I saw Colonel John and I said, 'Oh no, here comes Colonel John.'"

"I just feel gutted because it's tough to lose like that," rider Richard Migliore said of Bob Black Jack. "The horse ran as game as a horse can run."

Coast Guard pulled 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Yankee Bravo, giving back $7.80 as a 19-1 outsider. The $1 trifecta totaled $306.50, and with the 9-2 Yankee Bravo in fourth, the 5-4-3-1 superfecta ($1) was worth $1,184.60.

El Gato Malo (El Corredor), the 9-5 favorite, closed for fifth but was never a serious factor. Jockey David Flores could offer no insight into the lackluster performance.

"Some days they don't have it, and this was one of those days," Flores said. "I don't know. He just didn't have the extra kick that I was expecting from him."

On the Virg (Pulpit) reported home sixth, followed by Shore Do (Include), Meetingwithdestiny (Belong to Me), Polonius (Broken Vow), Rosso Corsa (Ferrari [Ger]) and Signature Move (Vindication).

Colonel John improved his mark to 6-4-2-0 while boosting his earnings to $825,300. The Kentucky-bred colt broke his maiden by 4 1/2 lengths in his second career outing and followed that up with a daylight score in the Real Quiet S. at Hollywood Park. He concluded his juvenile campaign with a rallying second in the CashCall Futurity (G1) at that same venue, and his opening salvo of 2008 was a half-length victory over El Gato Malo in the Sham S. (G3) at Santa Anita.

The bay is out of the winning Sweet Damsel (Turkoman) and is a half-brother to the Grade 3-placed Caroline's Gold (Touch Gold). Colonel John has a pair of full siblings, a two-year-old colt named Mr. Hot Stuff and a yearling filly named Kayce Ace. This is the family of multiple Grade 2 star Imperialism (Langfuhr), who finished third in the 2004 Kentucky Derby (G1).

Harty has already crafted his master plan for the Kentucky Derby, which will be Colonel John's first start on dirt.

"I'll give him two works here at Santa Anita and ship to Churchill about 12 days out, give him one work over the track, and pray."

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