Big Truss. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Impel Repelled Rivals in Groupie Doll
Past The Wire Staff
HENDERSON, Ky.— On a gorgeous summer afternoon at Ellis Park six 3-year-old colts and geldings lined up for the $300,000 Ellis Park Derby.
It would be a battle of the ‘bigs’ as Big Boat took the start and held off Big Truzz until the latter was no match for the leader.
In the end, Flying Dutchmen’s Big Truzz took the big prize and gave trainer Brian Lynch his second stakes in a row on the day as Tyler Gaffalione scored his fifth win as well.
The Justify colt pressed down the backstretch with a bid before forging an advantage then kicked away entering the lane and drew off under a drive for a seven-length victory.
"He felt like a winner every step of the way."
— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) August 10, 2025
It feels like deja vu as @joeydakracing talks to trainer @blynchracing and jockey @tyler_gaff again after Big Truzz's win in the Ellis Park Derby! pic.twitter.com/VlRQ2F39rt
Lynch scored the exacta in the race as his other trainee Jimmy’s Dailys finished second.
Admiral Dennis moved up for third with Big Boat fading to fourth.
Master Controller and Sinister Smile complete the order of finish.
Brodeur and Retribution were scratched.
The one mile on dirt was completed in 1:34.73 with fractions of 23.58, 46.73, 1:10.42 and 1:22.43.
Big Truzz paid $6.24 (3.48, 2.42) with Jimmy’s Dailys offering $5.78 (3.68) and Admiral Dennis paying $2.10.
Making no starts as a 2-year-old, Big Truzz has had a productive year with two wins in five starts also hitting the board in second and third.
With a Triple Crown winner in his pedigree, the dark bay is out of Curlin mare Saralin. He was bred in Kentucky by Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt & Kaleen ShahInc.
Big Truzz sold at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $300,000.
Impel Repelled Rivals in Groupie Doll
Wrapping up the day at Ellis Park was the ladies again in the $200,000 Groupie Doll for 3-year-olds and up.
It would be Juddmonte’s homebred Impel taking top honors in the race giving trainer Brad Cox his second win on the card and Florent Geroux his third.
Impel leaned outwardly at the start with Harbor Springs showing the way along the inside as Taxed pressed two wide and between horses.
Regaled brushed an outer rival at the start, raced at the rear in the three path and between horses into the backstretch while Impel tracked three wide and made a bid turning for home leading in the four path in upper stretch.
Alpine Princess laid off of the pace in the two path then crept closer between horses nearing the far turn.
Launching progress outside of foes turning for home, Regaled fanned to the seven path entering the lane and then rallied to outside of the leader in the final sixteenth but Impel held off Regaled’s late challenge.
Alpine Princess tipped took aim among foes entering the lane, then ran on between horses while getting outkicked settling for show.
Pressed two wide between horses Taxed made a bid at the five sixteenths pole then got headed in upper stretch and gave way through the final furlong finishing fourth.
Everland stalked along the inside but was shuffled back behind a tiring rival at the quarter pole finishing fifth. Pigalle was brushed by an inner rival at the start then pulled while off of the pace into the backstretch fading to fifth while Harbor Springs yielded to rivals finishing in sixth.
Tyler Gaffalione & Florent Geroux totally owned @EllisParkRacing today! Gaffalione scored on the card (3 stakes in a row). Geroux took on the day includ. closer Groupie Doll. Congrats to both & all connections! (& Brian Hernandez Jr who won R1!)Jenny Doyle/@PastTheWire pic.twitter.com/p1zpcbs9P4
— Maribeth Kalinich (@52ShadesOfHay) August 10, 2025
Lemon Muffin and Too Much Kiki were scratched.
The one mile on dirt was completed in 1:37.63 with sluggish fractions of 25.49, 50.25, 1:13.92 and 1:25.64.
Impel was generous paying $12.62 (6.74, 3.58) with Regaled being even more so offering $13.38 (5.98) for place. Alpine Princess paid $2.28.
The daughter of Quality Road out of Flatter mare Your Love, the 4-year-old now has four wins in 10 career starts with two each in place and show. The win in the Groupie Doll put Impel over the half million mark in earnings.
Coming off a 1-1/2 length victory at Churchill Downs June 22, Impel scored her second consecutive victory after hitting a dry spell that lasted over a year.
The race is named for the sensational, speedy mare Groupie Doll who defied expectations and age repeating her 2012 victory in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at 5-years-old. Groupie Doll was born in 2008 and raced from 2011 to 2014. Racing at eight different tracks she won at seven including nine graded stakes.
She was sired by Bowman’s Band out of the Silver Deputy mare Deputy Doll.
