Canadian Derby 2015 at Northlands Park

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - Northlands Park in Edmonton, Alberta Canada will play host to the Grade 3 Canadian Derby on Saturday, August 15. Some of the best three year olds in the land will take to Northlands Park's dirt track and race 1 3/8 miles for a purse of $200,000.

A full field of 12 including two fillies have been confirmed for the Canadian Derby - race 12 on Northlands Park's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:40 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all 12 entries for this Grade 3 stakes.

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2015 Canadian Derby Race Favorite Entries

Blue Dancer 8-5 - Greg Tracy trained gelding has an incredible seven wins in eight career starts - his only blemish was a tenth after tiring in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He enters on the heels of three straight minor stakes wins on this track - the Count Lathum Handicap July 18, the Ky Alta Stakes June 20 and the Western Canada Handicap in May. Blue Dancer has been virtually untouchable but looks for his first graded stakes score Saturday on a track he's won all five of his starts from gate 2 - with Rico Walcott aboard the morning line favorite.

Academic 7-2 - has six career starts with two wins and a second place finish but enters off a very disappointing DNF in the Queen's Plate July 5. Before that was a two race win streak - the best of which coming in the Woodbine Oaks at 66/1 odds June 14. She races against males once again looking for her second stakes win in her graded stakes bow. Justin Stein has the mount on the morning line second choice from the rail Saturday as Academic.

Canadian Derby 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Witt Six 6-1 - has 17 career starts already for trainer Jerry Gorneau with five wins, three seconds and four third place finishes. He had a three race minor stakes win streak earlier this summer at Assiniboia - the Harry Jeffrey Stakes in July, the Golden Boy Stakes June 21 and the Northern Affair Stakes June 3. Last time out was a respectable second in the minor Manitoba Derby August 3. Witt Six has looked terrific in his last four starts and hopes to keep the roll going Saturday from post 5 with Dane Nelson in the reins.

Purple Heaven 8-1 - has two wins, three seconds and two third place finishes but has placed in his last five starts overall. He enters off a second place finish to Blue Dancer in the minor Count Lathum Stakes here July 18 after consecutive third place finishes also behind Blue Dancer in the minor Ky Alta Stakes in June and Western Canada Handicap in May. Purple Heaven looks for his first stakes score Saturday and enters in decent form from post 3 with David Lopez guiding him.

Centrefire 10-1 - won the minor Alberta's Premier Stakes on this track in September and finished second in the Canadian Juvenile Stakes here in November but has been up and down since. Last time out was a fourth in the minor Count Lathum Stakes on this track July 18 after an OK second behind Blue Dancer in the minor Ky Alta Stakes here in June and a second in an Allowance on this track in May. Centrefire looks for his first win in nearly a year and for his first graded stakes score when he departs from gate 6 with Scott Williams in the irons.

Bodhisattva 12-1 - has placed in eight of 13 career starts for trainer Jose Corrales and enters off two disappointing efforts - a seventh in the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth June 21 and a last of eighth in the Preakness Stakes after being eased. Those results followed his first stakes win - the minor Fredrico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico April 18 and an OK second in the minor Private Terms Stakes March 21. Before that was a pair of fourths in minor stakes action at Laurel Park to start his year. Bodhisattva hasn't looked great lately after an OK stretch and hopes to rediscover her form from gate 8 with Luis Garcia aboard.

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Aztec Key 15-1 - has two wins, a second and two third place finishes in six career starts and will be hoping for a first ever stakes score Saturday. He does have a pair of thirds in minor stakes action - the Canadian Juvenile Stakes here in October and the Count Lathum Handicap also on this track July 18. Aztec Key has been OK so far in his career and hopes for a major breakthrough Saturday from gate 10. Krista Carignan rides.

Afleet in Time 15-1 - makes his stakes debut Saturday having posted two wins and a third place finish in nine career starts. He has placed in just two of his last seven starts - a third in a Claiming last time out at Santa Anita June 18 and a Claiming score on that same track in April. Afleet in Time takes a huge step up in competition Saturday when he leaves from the unfavorable outside post 12 with Pedro Alvarado aboard.

Quality Lane 20-1 - the other filly in the field has seven career starts with two wins and four second place finishes. She enters off one of those wins - in the minor Northlands Oaks Handicap in July which followed consecutive runner-up finishes in minor stakes action on this track. Quality Lane has made all of her career starts on this track and has fared well in all but one. Rafael Zenteno rides from post 7 as Quality Lane looks to make a little noise in graded stakes company.

Xtreme Denigray 20-1 - has been very good in her 13 race career - three wins, four seconds and five third place finishes. He enters off a career best effort - a win in the minor Alberta Derby at Grand Prairie July 26 which followed an OK third in the minor Three and Four Year Old Stales Stakes here July 1 and an Allowance score on this track June 19. Xtreme Denigray races in graded stakes company for the first time Saturday and hopes for a second straight stakes score overall with Tony Maragh in the saddle from post 9.

Timeless Tales 30-1 - has just three runner-up finishes in seven career starts and has placed in just one of his last four starts overall - a second in an Allowance two starts back on this track. Last time out was a fifth in the minor Count Lathum Stakes July 18. Timeless Tales looks to place in stakes company for the first time in three tries Saturday from post 11 with Ruben Lara in the saddle.

Cowboys Don't Cry 30-1 - has just one win, three seconds and two third place finishes in 12 career starts. He has placed in just one of his last three starts - a second last time out in the minor Alberta Derby followed consecutive off-the-board finishes in minor stakes action on this track and a maiden Claiming score at Golden Gate in May. Cowboys Don't Cry tries for his first stakes win Saturday and will have Antonio Reyes guiding him from gate 4.


2015 Canadian Derby Entries & Odds

Race 12 on Northlands Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:40 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Academic J. Stein T. Rycroft
7-2
2 Blue Dancer R. Walcott G. Tracy
8-5
3 Purple Heaven D. Lopez T. Bensmiller
8-1
4 Cowboys Don't Cry A. Reyes T. Rycroft
30-1
5 Witt Six D. Nelson J. Gourneau
6-1
6 Centrefire S. Williams G. Tracy
10-1
7 Quality Lane R. Zenteno Jr. J. Petrowski
20-1
8 Bodhisattva L. Garcia J. Corrales
12-1
9 Xtreme Denigray T. Maragh T. Bensmiller
20-1
10 Aztec Key K. Carignan C. Smith
15-1
11 Timeless Tales R. Lara R. McLean
30-1
12 Afleet in Time P. Alvarado R. Diodoro
15-1

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