Shared Sense best in Indiana Derby; Shedaresthedevil rolls in Oaks

Jul 09, 2020 by James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Trainer Brad Cox swept both qualifiers at Indiana Grand on Wednesday evening, with Shared Sense joining the Kentucky Derby trail in the $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3) and Shedaresthedevil enhancing her Kentucky Oaks credentials in the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3).

Shared Sense, a Godolphin homebred son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, earned his first stakes victory with a three-length decision in the 1 1/8-mile Indiana Derby, which awarded points on a 20-8-4-2 scale toward a berth in the Run for the Roses. Florent Geroux was up, and the bay colt left the starting gate as the 2.80-1 favorite among nine runners. He stopped the teletimer in 1:49.46.

After settling in eight during the early stages, Shared Sense launched his bid on the far turn. He entered the stretch on a short lead and drew off through the final furlong. Major Fed wound up a clear second at 5-1 odds, and stewards disallowed an objection from jockey James Graham for interference approaching the top of the stretch.

Necker Island took third and was followed under the wire by Earner, Extraordinary, Taishan, Winning Impression, Background, and No Getting Over Me.

Shared Sense wasn’t nominated to the Triple Crown, but he can be supplemented for $45,000 to the Kentucky Derby. The supplemental fee is normally $200,000, but it’s been reduced this year due to the altered Triple Crown schedule.

“That will be up to the Godolphin team. But look, he’s a nice horse,” Cox said when asked about the Kentucky Derby.  “(Darley America president) Jimmy Bell and I have talked about it a couple of times, that a mile and an eighth is something he’ll like. Maybe even farther. He’s a tough horse. This horse, on the dry dirt, that’s where he gets his best races…He’s just a horse I think will get better with distance and race.”

The Kentucky-bred colt was exiting a non-threatening second to Art Collector, a top contender in Saturday’s Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland, in a June 13 allowance at Churchill Downs. Shared Sense is out of the Bernardini mare Collective, and he’s now earned $322,112 from a 7-3-2-0 record.

Shedaresthedevil earned her second Grade 3 triumph this year and after picking up 20 points Wednesday, she sits third on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 90. She stalked the pace in second before advancing to the lead at the three-eighths pole, and Geroux’s only concern was keeping the 3-5 favorite focused while unopposed through the stretch.

Campaigned by Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing Limited, and Big Aut Farms, Shedaresthedevil traveled the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:43.50. She was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm.

Based in California last year, the Daredevil filly was transferred to Cox over the winter and has now captured 3-of-5 starts this season. Shedaresthedevil won the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn Park three starts previously and was exiting a six-length allowance score at Churchill Downs on June 5. She’s earned $501,768 from a 9-4-2-2 career mark.

Impeccable Style finished second and next came Bayerness, Fire Coral, Miss T Too, Gibberish, Spartanka, and Alandra.