Pletcher ready to test Tip Top Thomas at two turns in Indiana Derby

Just five horses have finished in front of Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Sovereignty in seven career starts. Tip Top Thomas and Sovereignty debuted last summer at Saratoga, where Tip Top Thomas beat Sovereignty, who finished fourth, by 2 1/4 lengths. While Sovereignty went on to become the top 3-year-old, Tip Top Thomas wasn’t put on the Triple Crown trail but returns to graded stakes action Saturday, while also making his two-turn debut, in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis. 

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Tip Top Thomas went from that maiden win to finishing second in the Grade 1 Champagne, where he led into the stretch, only to be passed by Chancer McPatrick. Tip Top Thomas finished 3 1/4 lengths in front of Mo Plex, who won the Ohio Derby two weeks ago. Tip Top Thomas made his 3-year-old debut in a Keeneland allowance sprint, finishing fourth, with third-place Retribution coming back to win the Grade 3 Chick Lang. From there, Tip Top Thomas beat a solid group going a one-turn mile in an Aqueduct allowance. 

By the Grade 1-winning sprinter Volatile, Tip Top Thomas’s pedigree doesn’t scream router, though his dam, Attempt to Name, did produce a stakes winner going a two-turn mile. The 1 1/16-mile distance Saturday shouldn’t be out of reach but farther may be. Tip Top Thomas, 6-1 on the morning line, will break from post 6 under John Velazquez and should set the pace in a race that isn’t filled with speed.

There’s three horses that ran in the Kentucky Derby entered in Saturday’s field. However, Chunk of Gold will scratch, having finished second in the Ohio Derby. From the rail, Publisher will be looking to break his maiden in his ninth career start. The deep closer was a solid second in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, before finishing 14th in the Derby. He’ll get a rider switch to Mike Smith for trainer Steve Asmussen and is set at 5-1 on the morning line. Breaking from post 3, the popular Coal Battle is looking to rebound from a third in the Grade 3 Matt Winn. Coal Battle reeled off four stakes victories at three different tracks before finishing third in the Arkansas Derby and then finished 11th in the Derby. Corey Laniere rides for trainer Lonnie Briley as the lukewarm morning-line favorite at 7-2. 

Big Truzz was cross-entered in the Iowa Derby but connections have said he’ll run in Indiana on Saturday. At 9-2 on the morning line, Big Truzz rates a contender off the strength of his third-place finish in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens last out. Big Truzz, who fired a bullet five-furlong work in 59.20 seconds on June 29 at Churchill Downs, has yet to attempt two turns.

Brad Cox had thought about entering Instant Replay in the Iowa Derby but instead, the Texas Derby winner ends up here. Following a third-place finish in the Louisiana Derby, Instant Replay won the Bathhouse Row Stakes at Oaklawn going 1 1/8 miles. In the Texas Derby last out, Instant Replay sat a touch closer to the pace and prevailed by one length. Luan Machado will be aboard from the far outside post with morning-line odds of 4-1. 

Instant Replay was privately purchased this week by global power Wathnan Racing. Advisor and racing manager Case Clay said Wathnan is looking for horses to run long on dirt in both the United States and Middle East.

“He’s a horse, to me, who looks like he ought to get better as he goes longer. So we’re going to take a shot with him,” Clay told track publicity. 

“Watching his races, he ran some good numbers. He’s only 3. It’s a horse I hope would improve. He hasn’t been worse than fourth, and he was third to some very good horses in the Louisiana Derby. I hope, and think, he has potential. This is a tough race. I think the goal for Instant Replay is to try to do well with him over a long period of time.”

Recent maiden winner Master Controller, Brotha Keny, who sports a perfect 2-for-2 local record, and longshot Shan complete the field. 

Saturday’s card features seven other stakes, including the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks, which drew a field of 6. Clicquot is the slight 8-5 morning-line favorite over the Cox-trained Heavenly Sunset, as those two finished one-two last out in a Churchill allowance. Goldeneye Magic is the lone stakes winner in the field, upsetting the Lady Jacqueline last out at 31-1. 

Of the remaining six stakes, two are for statebreds and four are for open company, and they all feature $100,000 purses. Field size in those stakes range from 9 horses to 12.

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