Red-Hot Joe Sharp Brings Three For Indiana Derby Undercard

Yahoo

01-07-2025

Red-Hot Joe Sharp Brings Three For Indiana Derby Undercard originally appeared on Paulick Report.
If Kentucky-based Joe Sharp didn't have the absolute hottest stable in the country for the first half of 2025, he's certainly on a very short list. Fresh off his first Churchill Downs training title — which came on the heels of his first Fair Grounds training title — Sharp will try to keep the momentum going when he runs three horses in undercard stakes on Saturday's Indiana Derby program at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Ind.
Money Supply won last year's $100,000 Jonathan B. Schuster Memorial on turf, with Sharp cross-entering this year in the Schuster and the Michael G. Schaefer on dirt. Money Supply, a $400,000 yearling purchase, has won eight races for owner Jordan Wycoff since being claimed for $35,000 almost two years ago. Now 6, the horse has won on turf and dirt, both fast tracks in the slop.
'I lean toward trying to repeat in the grass race, unless on paper it looks like the dirt is a better choice,' Sharp said. 'But he's doing really well. We just need a little more racing luck. Because the horse is trying to fire big races, and he's just had some tough trips.'
Advertisement
Sharp brings back Highlander Training Center's $359,700-earner Strikingly Spun for the Indiana General Assembly Distaff, in which she was a close seventh last year, and also is running $336,723-earner Fantastical, fourth in stakes in her last two starts.
'Fantastical seems to be the filly that likes to be closer (to the pace),' he said. 'So maybe we'll have bookends as far as early on in the trip: Have one out close to the pace and one coming from off the pace.'
Strikingly Spun was uncharacteristically close to the pace in her last start, Churchill Downs' Keertana Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf before weakening to eighth.
'We're taking the blinkers off this time and just hoping we get the right setup,' Sharp said. "She's a filly that comes running and needs a pace to develop to be her most effective. But she's training really well, and we're looking forward to trying to get more 'black type' (stakes placings) for her. I do think the farther the better. But last time she was really sharp, she broke (near the front) and took pressure the whole way. There was some early pressure like the half-mile pole. She had to start her run a little farther out than I would have liked.'
Sharp also entered Kavod in Friday's $100,000 William Garrett Handicap at five furlongs on grass. Kavod won the Fair Grounds' off-the-turf Duncan F. Kenner and was second by a head in the Colonel Power.
After several seconds and thirds in the Fair Grounds' final meet standings in his decade of training, Sharp had a breakthrough winter in New Orleans, winning that title 40-31 over multiple titlist Brad Cox. He came right back and won the Churchill Downs training crown 20 wins to 19 over Cox's powerful barn.
'What I've learned is that you have to have fresh horses to win races, period,' Sharp said. 'Obviously, you never want the roll to stop, but I'm very grateful and very appreciative of it. Because I have ridden the highs and lows throughout my career. There are a lot of top guys who have been a model of consistency and maintain consistent high, solid (win) percentages, such as Brad, such as Steve (Asmussen), Todd (Pletcher), Chad (Brown), those guys. I'm trying to stay focused and work to evolve into a barn like that. Hopefully we can continue to maintain.'
Including at Horseshoe Indy.
'We love going up to Indiana,' Sharp said. 'It's close, and they're very accommodating. And their surfaces are very good.'
The 31st running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby is set for a first post time of 12 p.m. Saturday, July 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The race is joined by the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks along with six other premier racing events with purses topping $1.1 million. The afternoon program is complemented by numerous activities including a $3,000 Derby Megabet, $2,500 Derby Legends Handicapping Contest, courtesy of the Indiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, $1,000 Derby Hat Contest, courtesy of the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, cigar rolling station, strolling entertainment food trucks and more. Free parking and general admission to the Indiana Derby, which is open to guests of all ages on the racing side.
This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.