Trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux swept the Hoosier State’s top 3-year-old stakes early Wednesday evening at Indiana Grand when Shared Sense and Shedaresthedevil respectively rolled as the public choices in the $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3) and $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3).
Although unplaced in two previous stakes attempts, one in the mud and the other on turf, Shared Sense has found fast tracks much to his liking of late. Most recently second in a Churchill Downs allowance to Art Collector, a contender in Saturday’s Blue Grass (G2), the Godolphin homebred overpowered eight rivals here to win by three lengths in a time of 1:49.46 for 1 1/8 miles over a fast track.
A son of Street Sense, Shared Sense paid $7.60. Major Fed, who trailed early, raced wide when rallying on the second turn, and was bumped by the winner passing the quarter pole, was a clear second by three lengths over Necker Island, with Earner fourth. A rider’s objection lodged by Fed Biz’s jockey, James Graham, against the winner was disallowed.
The Indiana Derby awarded 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner, but Shared Sense is presently not Triple Crown nominated. A supplementary nomination would cost $45,000.
“That will be up to the Godolphin team. But look, he’s a nice horse,” said Cox. “This horse, on the dry dirt, that’s where he gets his best races. I tried him on the grass. His physical makeup, how he travels, I thought he might like the grass. He didn’t really go for it. And his last race at Churchill was a really good race. That race didn’t set up at all for him and he ran a big race, finished second.”
Major Fed earned eight Kentucky Derby qualifying points, increasing his total to 38. Necker Island earned four points and Earner two points.
Shared Sense now sports a record of 8-3-2-0, $322,112. Bred in Kentucky, he was produced by Collective, a Bernardini half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Composure and a full sister to Grade 2 heroine Penwith.
Shedaresthedevil, favored at 3-5, stalked an honest pace set by Miss T Too, took over in upper stretch, and drew off to win five lengths in a time of 1:43.50 for 1 1/16 miles. She paid $3.20. Impeccable Style finished second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Bayerness, with Fire Coral fourth. The quartet earned Kentucky Oaks qualifying points of 20-8-4-2, respectively.
This was the second stakes win for Shedaresthedevil since joining the Cox barn in November. She scored in the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn in early March, but was only a distant third behind Swiss Skydiver in the Fantasy (G3) on May 1. An interim allowance winner at Churchill Downs, she now has 90 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points.
“She’s got enough points to get in. I won’t say we’ll make it easy on her, but as easy on her as we can to try to get her into the Oaks the best way and get her there with some confidence,” said Cox.
Owned by Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing, and Big Aut Farms, Shedaresthedevil was trained by Simon Callaghan in Southern California at two, when she placed in the Sorrento (G3) and Anoakia S. Her record now stands at 9-4-2-2, $501,768.
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Shedaresthedevil is by Daredevil and out of Starship Warpspeed, by Congrats.
