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European runners could dominate the Jockey Club Derby at Belmont Park

New York Hot List Staff | Friday, September 17, 2021


The European-bred runners have the first three spots in the morning line for the $1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational at Belmont Park on Saturday. That trio includes Bolshoi Ballet, who won the Belmont Derby (G1) for Aidan O’Brien back in July; and Yibir, the winner of a Group 2 at York in England last month for Charlie Appleby.

O’Brien’s travelling assistant T. J. Comerford explained the last minute decision to add Bolshoi Ballet to the field of this final leg of NYRA’s Turf Trinity.

“He was in France on Sunday, but we didn’t run him so we decided to bring him here. I think the wider turns suit him well,” Comerford said. “He’s won here two starts back and seemed to go around here over a shorter distance. His last start was a good experience for him. He’s won here and has form here, so that’s always a big help.”

Yibir, who is a gelding, arrived in New York with Appleby’s assistant Chris Connett.

“We’ve always thought he had that type of talent in him,” Connett said. “He’s just a bit of a character hence why he’s been gelded. He has phenomenal talent and when things fall right for him, he can be any kind of horse.

The British-bred Soldier Rising joined the barn of Christophe Clement before his second-place finish in last month’s Saratoga Derby where he was beaten by only a length after rallying from the back of the field.

Here are the Hot List picks for the Jockey Club Derby Invitational:

The $1 million Jockey Club Derby, Belmont Park, Saturday, Race 10.

(4) Soldier Rising is listed at 5-2 on the morning line but is likely to be the third choice and that is part of the reason that the Christophe Clement trainee is the top choice. Clement did not have the son of Frankel in his barn very long before he made a late rally to get second in the Saratoga Derby less than a length behind State of Rest. He’s had another six weeks with Clement and has already won at the 1 ½ mile distance. (2) Yibir won a Group 2 stake at York a month ago for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby. A repeat of that effort makes him a serious win contender. (8) Bolshoi Ballet won the Belmont Derby when he took control of the race in mid-stretch and won convincingly. However, in the Saratoga Derby he pressed the pace and faded. Maybe the tighter turns on the Saratoga turf were not to his liking. (3) Tokyo Gold was second behind Bolshoi Ballet in the Belmont Derby following a Group 2 victory in Italy and Johnny V retains the mount.

The rest of the NY Hot List picks and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.