DuQuoin (IL) – Vivid Photo and trainer/driver/co-owner Roger Hammer made quick work of winning the $525,000 World Trotting Derby on Saturday afternoon at the DuQuoin, Illinois State Fair. The race calls for a horse to win two heats in order to be declared the winner of the event. The race sometimes goes to a third and deciding heat, but there was no need for that this year as Vivid Photo won the first and second heat to decide the question. He broke his own world record for three-year-old trotting geldings of 1:52.3 by taking the first heat in 1:51.3, and then broke that record again an hour later in the second heat with a win in 1:51.2.
Tim Jone Photo
L-R: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Roger Hammer, and Pat Walker of Fox Valley Stdbs., where Vivid Photo was stabled before the World Trotting Derby.
Vivid Photo, who just four weeks ago won the $1.5 million Hambletonian, dominated the first heat, going wire to win for the win by about 3/4 of a length through fractions of :27.4, :57, 1:24.4 and 1:51.3. Great George Two (Jonathan Roberts) was second, Self Professed (Tyler Stillings) was third.
In the second heat, Eric Ledford had Muscle Memory out of the gate first to the lead, but was soon overtaken by Vivid Photo (Roger Hammer), hitting the quarter mile in :28.1, Vivid Photo led the field down the backstretch, followed by Muscle Memory, Great George Two and Self Professed. Jonathan Roberts tipped Great George Two out at the :56.4 half and had the lead at the 1:23.4 three quarters. Straightening out for home, Hammer drove Vivid Photo alongside Great George Two for a few strides, but shook the whip at him and Vivid Photo went on for the win in about a lenghth and a quarter in 1:51.2.
Great George Two was next across the wire, Muscle Memory was third, Diesel Don fourth and Self Professed fifth.
Tim Jone Photo
Vivid Photo receives a kiss in the winners circle from his groom.
Hammer was not concerned when he lost the lead temporarily to Great George Two, “I thought I’d let him (Great George Two) go on and then come back at him later,” he remarked. “I didn’t want to get in to a brushing duel in the turn, so I thought I’d wait and go after him in the stretch.” Hammer plans to give Vivid Photo three weeks rest and then will compete next in the Kentucky Futurity at The Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky on Saturday, October 1.
Vivid Photo, who cost $30,000 as a yearling at public auction, has now won $1,178,891.
