Illinois Derby returns to Hawthorne on Sunday with 6 in the field

After a six-year hiatus, the Illinois Derby returns to Hawthorne on Sunday for its 60th running.

The 1 1/8-mile event on the main track carries a $200,000 purse and will go as race eight with a post time of 6:56 p.m. EDT. The Illinois Derby produced 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem and again has been placed as a prep race for this year’s Preakness. If the winner of this year’s Illinois Derby chooses to race in the Preakness, Hawthorne will reimburse the winning owner the amount of $20,000 toward the Preakness entry fee.

After a pair of defections of expected runners on the morning of entries, a field of six was assembled for the Illinois Derby.

The morning-line favorite at 5-2 in the Illinois Derby is Woodcourt, who is owned and trained by Cipriano Contreras. Contreras is a familiar face to Hawthorne as he was a longtime assistant trainer to Mike Reavis, who has been a staple on the Illinois training scene for over 30 years. Contreras went out on his own in 2016 and has since saddled nearly 500 winners for over $15 million in career earnings.

Woodcourt is a four-time winner in his career. Breaking his maiden in his second career start, Woodcourt was thought of well enough to be given a shot in last year’s Grade 2 Saratoga Special by then trainer Brendan Walsh.

After a couple of unsuccessful stakes tries, Woodcourt moved to the turf to win an allowance at Churchill Downs last fall. He was dropped in for a $50,000 claiming tag on Dec. 22 at Turfway Park, where Contreras claimed him off a three-length victory. He followed the claim with an Oaklawn allowance score before running fourth in the Rebel (G2). His most recent start was a troubled sixth-place finish in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3). Emmanuel Esquivel rides Woodcourt once again in the Illinois Derby.

Trainer Kenny McPeek sends out 3-1 second choice Real Men Violin, who drews the rail. McPeek has Triple Crown race victories on his resume, and he looks to have another emerging 3-year-old in this race.

With near misses in his first four career starts at Ellis Park, Saratoga, Churchill and Keeneland, Real Men Violin broke his maiden in the slop at Churchill last October. Off of that victory, Real Men Violin was given a shot in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and didn’t disappoint, running a good second. Looking to get Derby points in 2024, he tailed off a bit in the Risen Star (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2) but looks to get back on track in the Illinois Derby.

Trainer Al Stall Jr. is familiar with the Illinois Derby as his Departing won the race in 2013. After finishing sixth in that year’s Preakness, Departing came back to win the West Virginia Derby and Super Derby. Le Gris is the 7-2 third choice.

After running a good third in his Saratoga debut last summer, Le Gris showed speed before tiring in his second start. With the move to New Orleans and the Fair Grounds, Le Gris shifted to the turf, breaking his maiden on the grass in his fourth career start. He looked to remain on the turf in a high-priced allowance in February but when that race was rained off the grass, Le Gris stayed in and won convincingly on the main track. His most recent start came in the Rushaway at Turfway Park, where he finished ninth but was only three lengths behind the winner in a blanket finish.

Trainer Mike Campbell sends out Patriot Spirit at 4-1 in the morning line. The most stakes-seasoned horse in the Illinois Derby, Patriot Spirit broke his maiden at first asking, winning impressively at Colonial last summer. After carving out the fractions in his second start in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill before tiring late in his second career start, Patriot Spirit won again in his fourth start, taking the Inaugural at Tampa Bay Downs.

He chased while stretching out in the Sam F. Davis (G3) early this year before tiring then ran a good third in the six-furlong Hutcheson in his more recent start at Gulfstream.

The last time the Illinois Derby was run in 2017, it was trainer Brendan Walsh who sent out the winner as Multiplier took the Derby. Walsh is back again in 2024 as Raguel will look to pull off the upset in this year’s edition.

Raguel started his career with a pair of tries on the turf. He was forced to the main track last November in a maiden race that was taken off the Churchill Downs turf and didn’t disappoint, winning on the front end that day. A son of Justify, Raguel shifted South for the winter, posting back-to-back third-place performances in tough allowance events during the Gulfstream Championship meet. With his best career success coming at the Illinois Derby distance, Raguel is 6-1 in the morning line.

As everyone in Illinois knows and many learned nationally last year, trainer Larry Rivelli can never be counted out with any starter he sends out. In 2023, it was Two Phil’s who nearly pulled off the upset in the Kentucky Derby, leading late and ultimately running second.

This year Rivelli gives a chance to lightly raced Ravin’s Town. After a 2-year-old debut where he was beaten by only a nose, Ravin’s Town was given time to mature before returning to the races last weekend. In that sprint start, Ravin’s Town sped away to an early lead before being caught late in the lane to finish second once again. With the stretch in distance, along with the lack of early pace in the Illinois Derby, there’s the potential that Ravin’s Town finds himself alone on the lead.