Red Route One Rolls Home In the West Virginia Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

Sent off the third betting choice at just shy of 4-1, RED ROUTE ONE (c, 3, Gun Runner–Red House, by Tapit) sustained a run for the better part of the final five furlongs and shot past the dueling pacesetters to give his owner Winchell Thoroughbreds a third win and trainer Steve Asmussen a sixth success in the GIII West Virginia Derby. Outrun early, the homebred was third-last to make the first turn as Iowa Derby first past the post (dead heat) One In Vermillion (Army Mule) and West Coast Cowboy (West Coast)–fifth in Altoona–eyeballed one another through honest splits. Red Route One began to make progress at the midway stage and was up into sixth, but still a good 10 lengths off the leaders as they hit the second turn. Going clearly the best of them nearing the stretch, Red Route One was thrown onto his correct lead by Cristian Torres and inhaled the front-runners before kicking clear to score by daylight. Winner of the Bath House Row S. at Oaklawn in April after failing to make the cut for the GI Kentucky Derby, Red Route One was a sound fourth to National Treasure (Quality Road) in the GI Preakness S. May 20 and was eased home a distant eighth when last seen in the GI Belmont S. June 10. He becomes the 13th graded winner for his Three Chimneys-based stallion. Lifetime Record: 12-3-2-1. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Steve Asmussen.

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