Imperialism, the third-place finisher in this year's Kentucky Derby (gr. I), heads the list of 3-year-olds who remain eligible for the Sept. 25 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. There are 15 runners still eligible for the grade II, $500,000 Super Derby.
Trained by Kristen Mulhall, who will try to become the first female trainer to win the Super Derby, Imperialism hasn't run since finishing fifth behind Smarty Jones in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I). Prior to his third-place effort in the Derby, Imperialism won the San Vicente (gr. II) and San Rafael (gr. II) at Santa Anita before finishing third (he was awarded second after the runner-up was disqualified) in the grade I Santa Anita Derby.
Others who remain eligible include Borrego, second in the Louisiana and Arkansas Derbies (both grade II), Swingforthefences, winner of the Iowa Derby, and Tapit, winner of the Wood Memorial (gr. I).
Cryptograph, freshened since winning the Round Table at Arlington Park in July and third in the Iowa Derby before that effort, has been training very well at Arlington over the past month. Eddington, third in the Travers (gr. I), was also kept eligible by his
connections.
South Africa, winner of the Prelude last month, is undefeated over the local oval and remains pointed to the race by perennial leading trainer Cole Norman. Fantasticat, Britt's Jules, and Xirius, also remain on target for the race.
Others on the list are the Bob Baffert-trained pair of Coldntight and Courageous Act, South Florida invader Caballero Negro, last year's local champion Mr. Jester, and Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) runner-up Mustanfar.
