(Alpyland wins the American Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

From the Churchill Downs Media Team / Darren Rogers:

FAVORITE ALPYLAND WINS $265,000 AMERICAN DERBY

Grade III Penn Mile winner Alpyland added Saturday’s 111th running of the $265,000 American Derby (Listed) to his promising resumé when he surged to the front at the top of the stretch and repelled a challenge byImmortalised (Fr) to win by 3 ½ lengths at Churchill Downs.

          Alpyland, odds-on 4-5 favorite, ran 1 1/16 miles over “good” turf in 1:42.29 to collect his fourth stakes win of the year. Javier Castellano rode the winner for trainer Mark Casse and owner Leonard C.  Green’s D. J. Stable LLC.

          Thousandsticks led the field of seven 3-year-olds through splits of :23.66, :47.97 and 1:12.54 as Alpyland tracked from second. Alpyland was nudged to improve position midway through the final turn and surged past Thousandsticks with three-sixteenths of a mile to the finish. Immortalised (Fr), who raced in third along the rail down the backstretch, tipped out for a challenge at the furlong marker but was no threat to Alpyland who extended his margin late.

“I was very impressed with him today,” Castellano said. “He impressed me in the Penn Mile and came right back with another big effort this afternoon. I was especially impressed with the way he finished. The sky is the limit for this horse. Mark Casse knows how to do it. He’s an amazing trainer.”

The victory was worth $166,710 and increased Alpyland’s earnings to $724,706 with a record of 6-0-2 in 11 starts.

Alpyland, a Kentucky-bred son of Vekoma out of the Kela mare Il Brigante, paid $3.68, $2.46 and $2.26. Immortalised (Fr), with John Velazquez aboard at 9-2, paid $3.84 and $2.92. Brave Force, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione at 17-1, rallied from last to finish another half-length back in third and returned $5.06.

Bust Out was fourth and was followed by Thousandsticks, Fulmine and Comport. Prepped and Serac were scratched.

In addition to the American Derby and Penn Mile, Alpyland won the $175,000 Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park on New Year’s Day and $125,000 Columbia at Tampa Bay Downs on March 7.

“We’re thrilled for the connections to win this race,” said Casse’s Kentucky assistant Allen Hardy. “He came back and backed up his effort in the Penn Mile with another outstanding performance. He continues to show us what we thought he was capable of.”

AMERICAN DERBY QUOTES

Javier Castellano, jockey, Alpyland, winner: “I was very impressed with him today. He impressed me in the Penn Mile and came right back with another big effort this afternoon. I was especially impressed with the way he finished. The sky is the limit for this horse. Mark Casse knows how to do it. He’s an amazing trainer.”

Allen Hardy, assistant trainer, Alpyland, winner: “We’re thrilled for the connections to win this race. He came back and backed up his effort in the Penn Mile with another outstanding performance. He continues to show us what we thought he was capable of.”