Stonestreet Stables LLC's “TDN Rising Star” Atreides (Medaglia d'Oro) has gotten off to one of the most auspicious starts to a racing career in recent memory, and looks to take the next step in tonight's GII Indiana Derby. The son of MGISW Dream Rush (Wild Rush) and half to fellow 'Rising Star' and GSW Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy) aired by 5 1/4 lengths with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure going six furlongs at Gulfstream July 12, and received a 102 Beyer for another facile score over an additional sixteenth Aug. 10. The Marty Wolfson pupil was 1-5 to handle the stretch-out to a mile in the Aug. 30 Monarchos S. in Hallandale, and he ran like he should have been 1-500, cruising home 17 1/2 lengths clear and earning a 105 Beyer. Two turns and some additional pace pressure could be the only things standing in the expected favorite's way, but Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Vicar's In Trouble (Into Mischief) is certainly no slouch. The speedy Mike Maker pupil took home the GIII LeComte S. and GII Louisiana Derby earlier this year, but failed to land a blow after being poorly drawn in the GI Kentucky Derby May 3. Third in the June 28 GIII Iowa Derby and Aug. 2 GII West Virginia Derby, the dark bay crushed his competition by 7 1/4 lengths in the Sept. 6 GII Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. Carl Gessler, Jr. and Dan Wiginton's C J's Awesome (Awesome Again) appeared to put it all together two back in a Sept. 1 Saratoga allowance when he reported home 7 1/2 lengths to the good. The bay was most recently a dead-heat fourth in Parx's GII Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 20.
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