Allied Racing Stable's graded-placed homebred Our Moneyman will ship across the Ohio River July 11 seeking his first graded stakes victory in the $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3) at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
The Louisiana-bred sophomore by Mr. Money has already fared well against one of the top contenders in his division with a runner-up finish in the June 7 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) against Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Further Ado. He also has black-type credentials with a win in last year's Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes and the March 22 Crescent City Derby, plus two other stakes-placed finishes during late fall and winter at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots with trainer Bret Calhoun. He will be ridden in the Indiana Derby by regular rider Axel Concepcion.
Looking to thwart Our Moneyman's goal and embellish their own credentials is stakes-placed Out of the Woods and stakes winner Creole Chrome.
Out of the Woods, a son of Constitution , has not won a stakes yet, but he beat Our Moneyman in a $125,000 optional claiming race at Churchill Downs May 2 by 1 1/4 lengths. He comes into the Indiana Derby off a second June 13 in the Delaware Derby at Delaware Park. Out of the Woods is owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, Panic Stable, and William Strauss. He is trained by Phil D'Amato and will be ridden by Luis Saez.
Creole Chrome, a son of Volatile , comes into the Indiana Derby off an 18-length win in the black-type Louisiana Legends Cheval Stakes at Evangeline Downs, in which he earned a 95 Equibase Speed Figure. Earlier in the year, Creole Chrome won a non-black-type stakes by 6 3/4 lengths going gate-to-wire for a mile and 70 yards at Fair Grounds. He has won three of five starts this year with his two unplaced finishes—a fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and a sixth in the Pat Mile Stakes (G2). Creole Chrome is trained by Joe Sharp and Junior Alvarado has the mount.
Another runner with the potential to surprise is the maiden winner Leading Change, who won his racing debut by 6 1/2 lengths June 7 at Churchill Downs going 7 furlongs. Owned by Waltnan Racing and trained by Brad Cox, the son of Gun Runner is an $800,000 yearling purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Leading Change's early Timeform Pace Rating of 122 is competitive with Creole Chrome's rating of 124. Irad Ortiz Jr. will be in the irons.
"Obviously, this is a big ask from winning your maiden first time out to a graded stakes around two turns," Cox said. "But I just like the idea of getting him around two turns. I think it's what he's meant to do. I think it's what he wants to do. Just based off some of the other races I was looking at, I felt like this made sense for him. He's a talented horse. We've liked him all along. We're throwing a lot at him in a short period of time, but he's training well. It's not what we normally do. You can do that with 2-year-olds and stuff. This is a big ask. But I think he'll run a great race."
If the early pace wears down the frontrunners, then Our Moneyman looks well positioned with a Timeform late-pace rating of 96 to pick up the pieces.
Desert Gate, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, is expected to scratch in favor of a start in Saturday evening's Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows, trainer Bob Baffert told BloodHorse.
Horseshoe Indianapolis, Saturday, July 11, 2026, Race 12Entries: Indiana Derby (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Lighter (KY) Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. 118 Rodolphe Brisset 20/1 2 2Mister T (IN) Mitchell Murrill 118 Justin Bailey 30/1 3 3Zihnal (KY) Umberto Rispoli 118 Jonathan Thomas 12/1 4 4Our Moneyman (LA) Axel Concepcion 118 W. Bret Calhoun 4/1 5 5Bricklin (KY) Fernando De La Cruz 124 Rodolphe Brisset 8/1 6 6Creole Chrome (LA) Junior Alvarado 118 Joe Sharp 6/1 7 7Out of the Woods (KY) Luis Saez 124 Philip D'Amato 9/2 8 8Leading Change (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Brad H. Cox 5/1 9 9Desert Gate (KY) Florent Geroux 124 Bob Baffert 5/2
