Can Regal Ransom Steal the Derby?

Posted May 1, 2009

A horse that is getting almost no respect in the early betting is the Godolphin trained Regal Ransom. It is interesting to note that there does not appear to be much pace in the race.

Join in the Dance looks like he might be the only one that will go to the lead. Can Regal Ransom from post 10 just stalk Join in the Dance who breaks from his immediate inside at post 9 most of the way down the backstretch and then make his move turning into the stretch and hold on? If they can manage to set a moderate pace, he just might be able to pull it off at what is likely to be at least 30-1 odds.

Regal Ransom is no slouch either. He got a 93 Beyer Speed Figure for his debut effort at Saratoga last year, and his only bad race was over the synthetic surface at Oak Tree in the Norfolk. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor seems to think he is a much improved horse since coming over from Dubai.

Regal Ransom still has to hold off some top quality contenders like Dunkirk and I Want Revenge and even his more highly acclaimed stablemate Desert Party, but at the odds he is likely to be, he might be worth a play.