Igniter Too Hot to Handle in Ellis Park Derby

The New York class was too much for his rivals late as Igniter  turned back his challengers and strode home the easiest of winners in the Ellis Park Derby.

Away well to stalk the early pace of :23.77 and a half in :46.31 set by clear leader Spun D M C (Spun to Run), Igniter was the looming danger after six panels in 1:10.10 with Corona de Oro to his inside. Taking the overland route into the stretch while Corona de Oro rode the rail, the chestnut was too much to handle in the lane, striding away confidently to a clear win.

Igniter, winner of the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct in March, was third in the May 16 Chick Lang Stakes at Laurel and was coming off a third-place finish in the June 28 GIII Maxfield Stakes.

Grade I winner Malibu Prayer, a half-sister to multiple graded winner Valid (Medaglia d'Oro), has a 2-year-old filly by Early Voting and a yearling colt by Gun Runner. Click for the Equibase.com chart.

ELLIS PARK DERBY PRESENTED BY HALLWAY FEEDS, $386,000, Ellis, 8-9, 3yo, 1m, 1:35.56, ft.
1–IGNITER, 118, c, 3, by Volatile
      1st Dam: Malibu Prayer (GISW, $618,026), by Malibu Moon
      2nd Dam: Grand Prayer, by Grand Slam
      3rd Dam: Lyrical Prayer, by The Minstrel
O/B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (Goncalo B. Torrealba) (KY);
T-Richard E. Dutrow, Jr.; J-Luis Saez. $244,000. Lifetime
Record: GSP, 8-4-0-3, $463,700.
2–Corona de Oro, 118, c, 3, Bolt d'Oro–Lemon de Oro, by
Lemon Drop Kid. ($100,000 RNA Ylg '24 FTSAUG; $100,000 Ylg
'24 OBSOCT; $160,000 2yo '25 EASMAY). O-On Our Own
Stable, LLC, Commonwealth Stable, U Racing Stables, LLC,
Saints or Sinners, Titletown Racing, LLC, Nichols, Jim, Barker,
Edwin S., Rivers, Daniel, Haines, John and Stewart, Dallas;
B-Willow Oaks Stable, LLC (KY); T-Dallas Stewart. $80,000.
3–Stop the Car, 118, c, 3, Maximum Security–Pussyfoot, by
Tiznow. ($110,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-Trade Winds Farm;
B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh.
$40,000.
Margins: 4, HF, 3 3/4. Odds: 1.05, 2.43, 3.81.
Also Ran: Seventies Music, Spun D M C. Scratched: Plutarch.

lights up in the stretch and gets the W in the Ellis Park Derby for jockey Luis Saez and trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/ewbL7bsLc4

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) August 9, 2026