Cv Denali, ridden by Edgar Diaz, will headline the opening trial for the $100,000-added Blue River Derby on June 30 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

© Coady Media

By Louanne Wainscott, StallioneSearch

SHELBYVILLE, IN–JUNE 27, 2026–Tuesday afternoon at Horseshoe Indianapolis will feature an eleven-race card beginning at 2:10 p.m., with the spotlight on the Registered Indiana-Bred 3-year-olds in three trial heats for the $100,000-added Blue River Derby. Twenty-five sophomores will compete over 400 yards in races nine through eleven, each aiming to record one of the ten fastest qualifying times and secure a berth in the July 18 Blue River Derby Finals.

The opening trial in race nine features Cv Denali as the 7-5 morning-line favorite. The filly has put together an outstanding sophomore campaign, highlighted by a one-length trial win before returning to dominate the $103,000 Harley Greene Derby by 1½ lengths. She enters the trials with five wins and one runner-up finish in six career starts, having banked $261,010 for Campos Family Ventures, LLC.

The daughter of Escondido Beach is out of the Genuine Botticelli mare Botticelli Shake and was bred in Indiana by Sheri Miller. Claudio Barraza trains the talented filly, who will break from post nine with Edgar Diaz aboard as she aims to continue her winning streak.

The second trial in race ten is led by the 5-2 morning-line favorite Rock N the Beach. The gelding has been a steady performer throughout his 2026 season, finishing second by a neck in his Harley Greene Derby trial, then returning to finish third in the $103,000 final behind Cv Denali after another competitive effort.

Bred in Indiana and owned by Jeffrey Sheets, Rock N the Beach is by Escondido Beach out of the Pyc Fast Prize mare Pyc Fast Girls Rock. Tim Eggleston sends the consistent gelding from post five, with Rolando D. Pina retaining the mount.

The three Blue River Derby trial heats promise to be among the most competitive races on the card as Indiana's top Indiana-bred sophomores battle for a place in the prestigious final. Race nine, the opening trial, is scheduled for approximately 6:14 p.m., with every hundredth of a second carrying added importance, as only the ten fastest qualifiers will return on July 18 to compete for the $100,000-added Blue River Derby title.

The races at Horseshoe Indianapolis can be watched on Q-Racing Video.

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