HH CJ Shake makes return in Blue River Derby Trials

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (July 7, 2020) – Three trials for the 18th running of the Blue River Derby are set for Thursday, July 9 at Indiana Grand. Carded as the final three races on the 11-race card, several stakes winners are included in the mix of registered Indiana bred three-year-olds.

Jess a Flyin Beach heads the field in the first trial from post one. A son of Escondido Beach, the Anthony Cunningham owned and trained gelding makes his first start of 2020. Last year, he just missed the title by a neck in the $182,000 Miss Roxie Little Futurity to close out his two-year-old campaign with two wins and two thirds in six starts. L.D. “Daniel” Martinez rides from post one at odds of 8-5.

Leading the charge in the second division is another tough contender from last year, Beach Benny. Also a son of Escondido Beach, the sorrel gelding finished a head back in second in the Miss Roxie Little Futurity final and was only a nose back in the $173,000 QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity, both losses to HH CJ Shake. Beach Benny is owned by breeder Pamela Brickley Hann and has only missed a top three finish twice in eight career starts last year at two. Martinez rides from post 10 at odds of 2-1.

The third and final trial features last year’s Two-Year-Old Indiana bred champion HH CJ Shake, who begins at odds of 7-5 from post two. The Escondido Beach gelding, trained by Paul Martin, won five of seven starts last year at two, including two stakes races. He got one start in at Remington Park in early March, finishing third in a trial for the Oklahoma Derby before returning to Indiana to rejoin the Martin Stable. Larry Carter, John Myers, Gary Brandon Bell and Rusty Hawkins own HH CJ Shake, who has in excess of $186,000 on his card from his two-year-old season.

The Blue River Derby Trials will set up the $100,000 final slated for Thursday, July 23. The stakes record for the 400-yard event was set in 2018 by Rockys Candy Shop, ridden by Jose Beltran for trainer Randy Smith, in a time of :19.745.

Photos by Coady Photography