Derby Express gets jump on opponents in Snack Stakes

It was evident that Jockey Malcolm Franklin had a ticket to ride on the express in the eighth running of the $100,000 Snack Stakes Wednesday, July 13. Derby Express got the jump on his opponents out of the gate and never looked back, scoring the win by six and one-quarter lengths in a time of 1:36.89 for the one mile turf event.

 

Franklin sat patiently on Derby Express waiting for the gate to open. He had a game plan to get to the lead early and that is exactly what happened. The duo shot out of the starting gate and stopped the timer in :22.99 seconds for the first quarter. They kept on rolling down the backstretch and it as if there might be some late closers planning their attack, but the attack never happened.

 

In the stretch, Derby Express continued to extend his lead on the field and was under the wire easily ahead of the rest of the full field of 12. Conquest Stormy and Miguel Mena made a strong move late to move into second over R Luckey Charlie and Richard Bracho for third.

 

“I know the fractions looked fast, but he (Derby Express) was doing it really easy today,” said Franklin. “Every time a horse would come up to him, he would take off. He broke sharp today and was strong all the way through the race.”

 

Derby Express, owned by Sheri Greenhill and trained by Jeff Greenhill, paid $28.00, $9.20 and $6.80 across the board. After a stellar season at two, it was the first sign of returning to that form for Derby Express this season and his first trip to the winner’s circle.

 

“He (Derby Express) had a little setback at the end of the year last year,” said Franklin. “I just think he lost his focus. Jeff (Greenhill) added blinkers for the first time today and I think that really helped.”

 

Greenhill, who has a string of horses at Indiana Grand, was not in attendance to see Derby Express win his third career stakes race. Greenhill accompanied one of his other horses to Thistledown for a race. Derby Express increased his career earnings to just under the quarter-million dollar mark with his win in the Snack Stakes. The small but mighty colt is now five for 10 during his career.