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2012 Hawthorne Derby

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - Hawthorne Park in Cicero Illinois will be the scene of the Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby this Saturday, October 13. Three year olds will go 1 1/8 miles on Hawthorne's turf track in search of their portion of the $200,000 purse.

A full field of 12 three year olds will line up in the Hawthorne Derby with two Also Eligibles. It is race 8 on Hawthorne Park's Saturday schedule with a post time of 5:40 PM. Here is a look at all 14 entries and their past performances ahead of this Grade 3 race.

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2012 Hawthorne Derby Race Favorites

All Squared Away - had a very impressive win in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes on April 21 at Hawthorne Park to follow up a sixth in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway in March. Since then All Squared Away has posted a pair of fifths - at the Marine Stakes May 12 and an Allowance Optional Claiming July 21 and a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Swaps Stakes. His last two starts have been equally inconsistent - a Allowance Optional Claiming score August 12 at Del Mar was followed by a seventh last time out in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby September 2. He is the morning line favorite but a shaky one at that.

Quick Wit - finished an impressive third at the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes on February 11 at Gulfstream after winning a Maiden Special Weight race at Gulfstream on January 28. He, like All Squared Away has been wildly inconsistent since however - a pair of sevenths in graded stakes action earlier this year was followed by a second and a first in a couple of Allowance races. A win two starts back in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes has put Quick Wit on the Hawthorne radar however although an eighth last time out in the Grade 3 Saranac has tempered expectations just a bit for trainer Dale Romans.

Hawthorne Derby 2012 | Remaining Field Entries

Film Shot Bill Mott trained colt is another inconsistent entry to the Hawthorne Derby. In seven starts this year he has a pair of wins in an Allowance and a Maiden Special Weight but also has a ninth and a fifth on his résumé. He did finish a decent third three back in his graded stakes debut in the Grade 3 Hill Prince Stakes and he is coming off an OK second in the Equalize Stakes. He enters in so-so form for the Hawthorne Derby.

Lea - makes his stakes debut on Saturday after two straight wins in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Saratoga and a Maiden Special Weight on that same track. Saturday marks Lea's fourth career start - needless to say this is a huge step up in competition for trainer Albert Stall.

Control Tower - also makes his stakes debut after three wins, a second and a third place finish in seven starts this year - all Claiming and Allowance races.

Francois - made his stakes debut two back and recorded a win in the minor Straight Line Stakes at Arlington Park August 18 and followed that with a second last time out in an Allowance on the same track two weeks ago. Francois has 13 career starts with five wins and two second place finishes.

Finale - looked good with three straight wins including the Grade 3 Summer Stakes heading into last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf where he finished seventh. After a second in the Dania Beach Stakes in December Finale endured an eight month layoff and returned with a tenth last time out in the Equalize Stakes at Saratoga August 30.

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All Stormy - has raced five straight at Arlington Park with a win last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming and a second in the Grade 3 American Derby three back being his best results over that span. He has placed in three of his last four starts for trainer Greg Geier.

Aldous Snow - has placed in his last three starts - all at Woodbine including a couple of minor stakes races - a second last time out in the Halton Stakes September 3 followed another second in the Breeders' Stakes and a win in an Allowance June 24.

Two Months Rent - has eight starts this year and is coming off a third last time out in the Grade 3 Kent Stakes and a third in the Capital City Stakes. Before that was a disappointing eighth in the Grade 2 Virginia Derby and a win in an Allowance race at Delaware Park on June 7. He has just two wins in 13 career starts with one second and four third place finishes.

North of Never - has six career starts with two wins and a third place finish. His only stakes results are a fourth in the Arlington Classic Stakes May 26 and a sixth last time out in the Mystic Lady Derby.

Pleasant Closing - has 11 starts this year and has placed in eight including his last six overall - the best result being a win in the Harry Jeffrey Stakes three back at Assiniboia July 14.

Defiant Flyer and The Pizza Man are Also Eligibles for the Hawthorne Derby. Defiant Flyer won the Jim's Orbit Stakes in February but hasn't place in five starts since while The Pizza Man could be a sneaky entry if he gets into the race having won five of six starts this year including the minor Tex's Zing Handicap last time out at Arlington Park.


2012 Hawthorne Derby Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Hawthorne Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:40 PM.

Post Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Film Shot L. Goncalves W. Mott
6-1
2 Finale C. DeCarlo T. Pletcher
8-1
3 All Stormy R. Homeister, Jr. G. Geier
12-1
4 All Squared Away C. Nakatani P. Miller
4-1
5 Francois C. Emigh C. Bettis
8-1
6 Two Months Rent J. Castanon J. Toner
15-1
7 Aldous Snow A. Solis M. Pierce
12-1
8 Control Tower M. Mena W. Catalano
8-1
9 North of Never E. Perez A. Granitz
20-1
10 Lea R. Napravnik A. Stall, Jr.
6-1
11 Pleasant Closing C. Roman M. Duncan
50-1
12 Quick Wit F. Torres D. Romans
5-1
13 The Pizza Man (AE) S. Martinez R. Brueggemann
6-1
14 Defiant Flyer (AE) F. Geroux L. Davis
30-1

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