One Don set to close hat-trick

IMPROVING American ONE DON has the temperament and running style to close a hat-trick in a little over three weeks, lining up against seven rivals, including in-form stablemate BIG BIG DADDY in Monday's overnight allowance at nine furlongs and 25 yards.

Fitted with the visor on June 19, ONE DON stunned a field of sprinters at five and a half furlongs, beating 1000 Guineas third-place SECRET IDENTITY and HOIST THE MAST. He returned a week later to slam HOIST THE MAST by six lengths at seven and a half furlongs, pulling away inside the last furlong with topweight 126lb.

Though he is up in class, ONE DON faces an iffy field, especially at the route distance, which could expose the stamina limitations of quicker runners such as EROY, LEGALITY, and DEJAE'S BOY, with HARRY'S TRAIN around to drag them on the lead.

EROY continues to leave his form on the exercise track, meekly surrendering to EL PROFESSOR two weeks ago, from two furlongs out, at seven and a half furlongs on a fast track. As usual, he returned to blaze 1:28.3 for seven furlongs last Monday, flashing fools' gold at the railbirds.

Early fractions

What was troubling about EROY's last run is the fact that his only test on the lead was out-of-sorts DOUBLE CROWN, with whom he disputed the early fractions before folding. DOUBLE CROWN eventually closed past him inside the final furlong to claim third behind EL PROFESSOR and DEJAE'S BOY.

Stretched out at nine and 25, a distance at which he has never won, EROY should be in trouble after the first six furlongs, hard-pressed to stay the trip on turning for home.

DEJAE'S BOY scooped a $1 millon claiming purse after beating non-winners-of-four. He was claimed by Errol Subratie and asked to test overnight allowance. He broke slow but closed into second place behind EL PROFESSOR inside the final furlong.

Though he has won as far as a mile, DEJAE'S BOY has never landed a route race and actually comes in at 120lb, heavier than BIG BIG DADDY and ONE DON, 117lb each, the expected closers in the event.

Phillip Parchment has been summoned to partner seven-year-old UNCLE FRANK, but the veteran of many battles has been finding the going tough, trying to chase younger rivals while disadvantaged at the scale.

Gary Subratie appears to have the race by the scruff of the neck with ONE DON and BIG BIG DADDY, stalkers with a good turn of foot when asked. BIG BIG DADDY outbattled FEARLESS CHAMPION at nine furlongs two Saturdays ago after losing to DEJAE'S BOY in a driving finish at seven and a half in his previous race.

ONE DON won his second race in a week the same afternoon BIG BIG DADDY completed back-to-back victories. He could have emerged with fewer battle scars from a six-length victory as opposed to the gruelling last-furlong duel his stablemate endured for his last two races, which gives him the nod on the route course.