Bloodhorse News -editor Byron King presents his derby dozen with a review of the leading competitors for the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on May 3 in Churchill Downs.
Take a look at the Triple Crown page of America's best racing to stay up to date on stories and statistics on the way to the Kentucky Derby.
1. Sovereignty
The second morning line favorite in 5: 1 for the Kentucky Derby, the sovereignty, may be a deceased runner, but this year it has led in the ranking list of the derby theater, the update this week ends this feature. Game is something to beat journalism and to exceed all the other talented 3-year-olds in the field, but signs indicate that he is used for a career effort. He enthusiastically trained in Churchill Downs in the derby lead and was sensational in winning the Sense Stakes Stakes on site with five lengths last year.
2. Journalism
In addition to his outstanding racing record-he has been bred for the success of Curlin since a debut in a sprint 4-against-4-distance actual. Quickly with speed figures, he also apparently pulled well in post 8 and trains smoothly. If he has a weakness and you really have to search for it, he comes with compact fields. He beat a total of 12 opponents in his three rated missions in California. He sees 19 in the Kentucky Derby on May 3rd. But he has an experience in the winning meeting in the Santa Anita Derby when he recovered after he was compact of a strenuous rival in the second round.
3. Luxor Café
He drives in Japan with a four racial victory and an outstanding family tree and is an impressive presence in this year's Kentucky Derby. Although no Japanese horse won this American classic, Forever Teenage came within two noses last year when he had third. The Luxor Café seemed to be a little flat in his training compared to others a few days ago, but his energy level seemed to be released from an open gallop when it was published by five-furgon training on April 1st: 02.40, April 29, in which jockey João Morira hardly left him out of an open gallop. This horse has the tactical speed required to secure a good position in the derby, and also the kick to be a threat to the demanding course of the last quarter mile of the race.
4. Grande
As the winner of two out of three starts, Grande has performed with his gallops in Churchill since his arrival from Keeland, where he recorded his last pre-derby training. In terms of his form, after two good -looking victories in Florida, he had to end any right when he was carried wide and dragged into the first round of the Wood Memorial Stakes, which was presented by Resorts World Casino in the Aquäduct, but he continued to grind Rodriguez in a rapid racing race. Because of this huge trip, he deserved an even better performance by Thoro-Graph as the winner Rodriguez. Coach Todd Plletcher is a two-time derby winner, and Jockey John Velazquez has won the race three times. Remember that Velazquez Medina Spirit also led to an apparently fourth victory in 2021, even though this victory did not last when the Bob Baffert trainer was disqualified due to a medication board.
5. Sandman
A tie in Post 17 (directly in sovereignty) Jockey Jose Ortiz should give a better opportunity to put this long-resistant long winner of the Arkansas derby under control, but he still has to try to contain and save a little soil. (The same applies to the first-class sovereignty.) This week he is moving towards a Knmidger, since the cornucopia of the Arkansas derby of the fourth placement points, when this Colt recently became second in an optional employee of the first stage at Aqueduct. Perhaps the quality of the Arkansas derby was not as robust as it appeared in the fight.
((Note: Baeza, second -placed by journalism in Santa Anita Derby, will be on the list also missing on April 29 at the time of this letter and needs a scratch on the morning of May 2 to return to the race. For this reason, he is not officially in the ranking of the derby. Otherwise he would fall just under Sandman in the Hack order.)
6. Burnham Square
He seems to be of quality after having hit the Tappan Stakes beaten Tappan-Straße in the Holy Bull Stakes and won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes in his last preparation in early April. However, the latter race developed perfectly for him with a scorching pace and with several horses under the expectations of 1 1/8 mile distance. However, he loved the additional floor and should like the 1 ¼ miles of the derby even more. Do you only have any doubts that he gets the necessary trip. He only accelerates slowly and probably means that jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. has to arrive horses on board this gelding.
7. Coal battle
The coal fight is petite, but not in the heart and tends to go through the movements in his breeze and to encourage his driver. But that's him; He is all the business on race day. It is doubtful that another competitor in this derby series has better acceleration capability. Nevertheless, his bids have to assume slow over 1 ¼ miles. He winner of the 1 1/16 mile rebel inserts and gives the impression that it is more of a medium-distance runner and perhaps a cut among the top-wearing 3-year-olds of this year's derby.
8. Gold block
In a sport in which people can spend seven numbers for a horse, it is refreshing to see that buying 2,500 US dollars can also make the biggest race. Together with coal battle, it is one of the Cinderella stories of this year's derby. Before his slow arrival in Churchill Downs, his workouts in the Turfway Park were encouraging and pointed to him to approach this race in top condition. The second of FASIG-TIPTON RISIES Star Stakes and Twinires.com Louisiana Derby has not looked like a horse worth $ 2,500 in the past few days, which gallops in addition to his more high-priced colleagues. Doubt, he is quick enough to win, but to anticipate an truthful performance.
9. Tiztastic
After winning the longest domestic derby preparation in Kentucky, the 1 3/16 mile derby in Louisiana, he is not a question mark at a distance of 1 ¼ miles that others seem to be on the field. But he won the latter race with a sweet journey and no longer pretended Barnmate and follow -up of the Kentucky Derby in his works in Churchill Downs, which leads to the derby. Both Colts are long shots to give Hall of Fame coach Steve Asmussen his first derby victory after he was 0-3-2 with 26 starters. Three years ago, Epicenter was the youngest second-placed finisher of Asmussen and annoyed 80.80-1 Bomb Opulent Streik.
10. American promise
Even taking into account the trace of Colonial Downs on the day of the Virginia Derby Day, he still smoked around the oval and covered 1 1/8 miles in a track record 1: 46.41. It shows an encouraging speed figure. He “paired” or about his career best-equibase speed in his last time when he ran a 101, only one point below 102, which he received for a Maiden victory in December. The American Promise has not yet questioned in two rated missions, but note that he defeated the final second place of Arkansa's derby in the Maiden victory mentioned above. The Hall of Fame Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who still drives the stable pony at the age of 89, is getting the stable pony on Saturday for his fifth Derby victory.
11. Final Gambit
With the question that can reproduce on dirt in the Kentucky Derby, after a few solid work over the Churchill Downs strip, he has replicated his best form on dirt after running exclusively on lawn and all-weather surfaces. The winner of the Jeff Ruby Steaks on the all-weather route from Turfway Park with a last rally from Last-to-First can handle the dirt, and remember that the setback of follow-up horses in the dirt race can discourage the unknown horses, as is not familiar in Longines Breeder's Breeders Cups Classic. I expected to pass horses and roughly shared the field, as Jeff Ruby winner endlessly did in 2024.
12. Citizen Bull
Coach Bob Baffert, a six-time derby winner, thought that Citizen Bull was not of fitness when he became fourth in Santa Anita Derby, the first loss of the colts on a route. Since then he has given Citizen Bull a number of faster training sessions. Although he does not give the impression that it is best to be suitable for 1 ¼ miles, it is quickly and typically a edged horse. Drawing the inner postal position in the derby may not disadvantage him from a tactical perspective. With an alarm break, he could be able to venture the field, to catch it, although one would expect that it would have to set rapid divisions to cross Rodriguez and Godolphins East Avenue to the lead.
