A total of nine horses have been entered for the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville.
The race will complete the 12-race card that begins at 12:10 p.m. leading up to the Indiana Derby with an estimated post time of 6:40 p.m.
The field of nine includes two starters from this year’s Kentucky Derby plus the winner of the Texas Derby and the winner of the Hawthorne Derby in Chicago. Verifying and Raise Cain both entered the gate for the Kentucky Derby and will lead the charge into Indiana’s biggest horse race.
Verifying, from the Brad Cox barn, comes into the race off a second-place finish in the Grade 3 $400,000 Matt Winn Stakes held at Ellis Park. The Justify colt, purchased for $775,000 at the Keeneland Yearling Sale, will pick up the services of Horseshoe Indianapolis’ three-time leading jockey Marcelino Pedroza. The duo starts from post five.
Entering the gate from post two is Raise Cain and Luan Machado. The Violence colt, trained by Ben Colebrook, has one win this season and finished fourth in the Matt Winn Stakes in his last start. Overall, he has more than $300,000 on his card.
Act a Fool, from the Larry Rivelli barn, is seeking to extend his four-race win streak in the Indiana Derby. The Oscar Performance colt was a winner in his last start in the $100,000 Hawthorne Derby over the turf. He begins in post three with Orlando Mojica, three-time leading jockey at Horseshoe Indianapolis, aboard.
Hayes Strike and Brian Hernandez will vie for their second Derby title this year from post seven. The Ken McPeek trained Connect colt was a winner in the $300,000 Texas Derby two starts back and comes into the race off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby. Hayes Strike is looking for his third win of 2023.
Joining the Indiana Derby on the card is the 28th running of the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks, set as the race leading into the Derby as the 11th on the 12-race card. The field of eight fillies is led by Taxed, winner of the Grade 2 Black Eyed Susan in her last start. Rafael Bejarano rides for trainer Randy Morse from post two.
Indiana Derby Day, the state’s biggest day of horse racing, will be complemented by numerous activities, including a Virtual Reality Jockey Station, cigar rolling station to the first 500, $600 Indiana Derby Hat Contest, $2,500 Indiana Derby Legends Handicapping Contest, and a drawing for one $3,000 Megabet across the board on the Indiana Derby. A total of eight premier races are on the program featuring purses in excess of $1.1 million.
Doors open at 10:30 a.m. with ample seating both indoors and outside on a first come, first serve basis. Free parking and free general admission offered to guests of all ages on the racing side.
Reservations are available in the Clubhouse by contacting Beth Litteral at 317-421-8801.
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