Sophomores take center stage during the premier racing event at Edmonton, Alberta’s Century Mile this Saturday night, as a deep lineup gathers for the $200,000 Grade 3 Canadian Derby. Serving as the centerpiece of a program that boasts three additional stakes contests, this grueling 1 ¼-mile challenge will push the competitors’ endurance to the limit, given that only a single runner has previously contested this distance.
America’s Best Racing will present its “Canadian Derby Preview Live” broadcast on Thursday, Aug. 19, delivering in-depth handicapping analysis and wagering strategies. This live broadcast, co-anchored by ABR’s Alexa Zepp, Century Mile representative Jentry van Baal, and racing analyst J.D. Fox, can be viewed on our official Facebook, X, and YouTube accounts beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
Racing fans can catch the live television broadcast of the Canadian Derby on FanDuel TV, with gates scheduled to open on Saturday night at 10:30 p.m. ET.
1. Helioo (15-1 morning-line odds): He has faced off against multiple rivals from this field in four previous local outings this spring and summer. During his lone attempt around two turns on July 24, he tracked the early pace before fading to fifth in the 1 1/16-mile Count Lathum Stakes. A victory here seems unlikely.
JOCKEY: Amadeo Perez; TRAINER: Mel Snow
2. Debrusk (20-1): Transferred from Hastings, he failed to make an impact in his sole two-turn attempt at Century Mile, trailing home seventh out of eight in the Count Lathum. Hard to recommend.
JOCKEY: Silvino Morales; TRAINER: Dino Condilenios
3. Kamal (30-1): Much like his inner neighbors in the gate, this gelding is mostly a short-distance runner who struggled when asked to route, coming in dead last and 20 lengths behind Tisum in the Count Lathum.
JOCKEY: Alexander Marti; TRAINER: James Brown
4. Quarry (9-2): Cycled through the Kentucky circuit until mid-July before heading north, where he secured a third-place allowance finish and a narrow runner-up spot behind Western Warrior at 27-1 in the 1 1/8-mile Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs. With top-three finishes in nine of his 14 career outings, he is a must-use for vertical exotics.
JOCKEY: Damario Bynoe; TRAINER: Jerry Gourneau
5. Magicstrikesagain (20-1): Made four appearances south of the border, highlighted by a one-mile victory at Churchill Downs in June. Upon transitioning to Western Canada, he crossed the wire second in a local route allowance but was demoted to ninth due to interference. He registered a strong speed rating in that effort and warrants look as a longshot contender under an in-form trainer-rider tandem—assuming he starts, as the same barn has entered Tisum.
JOCKEY: Jose Asencio; TRAINER: David Nicholson
6. Direct Strike (12-1): This Kentucky transplant closed late in his Canadian debut to grab fourth in the Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs, finishing behind three rivals he opposes again today. A highly-priced auction purchase with a classy pedigree, he stands out as the solitary entrant with experience at today’s 10-furlong distance, having run a close second by a half-length at Churchill Downs in April. He is a legitimate threat.
JOCKEY: N’Rico Prescod; TRAINER: Craig Robert Smith
7. Really Ralis (4-1): Born in British Columbia, this colt kicked off his campaign with a pair of sprint victories before cruising to a dominant win in the one-mile Derby Trial at Assiniboia Downs. He subsequently ran a flat fifth in the Manitoba Derby over the same surface. He belongs with this class but could take more money than his true value suggests.
JOCKEY: Kerron Khelawan; TRAINER: Cindy Krasner
8. Big Curl (10-1): Sent off as the 7-5 public choice in Century Mile’s 1 1/16-mile Count Lathum on July 24, he missed by a mere nose to Tisum after a grueling battle down the lane. While his pedigree suggests he can handle the added distance, his 10-1 morning line alongside Tisum reflects a far more demanding field here.
JOCKEY: Enrique Gonzalez; TRAINER: Tim Rycroft
9. Gethsemane (8-1): Showed solid ability across seven US starts spanning NY, KY, AR, and LA, holding his own against quality competition. Since shipping north, he captured third behind Western Warrior and Quarry in the Manitoba Derby. Taking the top spot will require a step forward, which is certainly within his reach.
JOCKEY: Antonio Whitehall; TRAINER: Monique Goulet
10. Tisum (10-1): Arrives following a gritty nose victory over Big Curl in the Count Lathum Stakes at this track but will face classier rivals this weekend. That triumph marked his maiden Canadian success after 10 prior stateside appearances, largely in claiming company. Since his barn also has Magicstrikesagain entered, one of the two will likely be withdrawn. This gelding looks to have the stronger upset potential.
JOCKEY: Jose Ascensio; TRAINER: David Nicholson
11. Javier (20-1): Chased through a contested pace in the 1 1/16-mile Count Lathum before weakening in the lane to secure fourth. He is expected to contribute to the early tempo here—potentially securing the lead if he gets away cleanly from his outer draw—but staying the course in the deep stretch will be a tough task.
JOCKEY: Brian Boodramsingh; TRAINER: Carson Frey
12. Western Warrior (7-2): After an uninspiring beginning to his career in Kentucky, this runner found his stride following a gelding procedure early in 2026, taking three of five two-turn route events at Oaklawn Park by wide margins. He was subsequently sent north to join his current barn, where he dug deep to edge Quarry in the Manitoba Derby. He is the rightful morning-line choice but must work out a favorable trip from a wide gate, a challenge he successfully met twice during his Oaklawn campaign.
JOCKEY: Dane Nelson; TRAINER: Dino Condilenios
13. Need the Purse (also eligible, 15-1): Needs a scratch to gain entry to the field. If he makes the cut, he must take a step forward from his local debut, where he finished a distant third in the Count Lathum. He is likely to influence the early running if allowed to start, and his conditioner has already captured this derby five times.
JOCKEY: Kimal Santo; TRAINER: Robertino Diodoro
TOP CHOICE: Gethsemane
VALUE PLAYS: Gethsemane/Direct Strike
SUPERFECTA: 9-12-6-4
