By Christie DeBernardis
Champion Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}}) takes on just five rivals as he looks to return to winning ways and secure his place in the GI Kentucky Derby starting gate in Saturday's GI Santa Anita Derby. A perfect four-for-four last term, the 'TDN Rising Star' took home the Eclipse award for top juvenile male after a trio of Grade I scores, topped off by a decisive win in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs. The bay was originally scheduled to make his seasonal bow in Arcadia, but with the track closing, he was forced to go to Oaklawn, where he came up just a nose short in the GII Rebel S. Mar. 16.
His biggest threat comes from his own shedrow in fellow Baffert trainee and 'TDN Rising Star' Roadster (Quality Road). An impressive debut winner at Del Mar in July, the gray finished third as the favorite behind Game Winner in the GI Del Mar Futurity Sept. 3, after which he required a minor throat surgery for displacing during that contest. He returned in a big way in a one-mile optional claimer at Santa Anita Mar. 1, defeating the re-opposing Nolo Contesto (Pioneerof the Nile) by 2 1/2 lengths.
Instagrand (Into Mischief) is another who looks to return to winning ways after losing his perfect record last time. Scoring dominant victories in both his Los Alamitos debut June 29 and the GII Best Pal S. Aug. 11, the 'TDN Rising Star' was voluntarily sent to the bench by his owner Larry Best with an eye on a strong sophomore campaign. The $1.2 million FTFMAR co-topper checked in third as the favorite when going beyond six furlongs for the first time in the one-mile GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct last time Mar. 9. He enters this off a pair of bullet works, most recently covering five panels at Los Al in a best-of-17 :59 2/5 Mar. 30.
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