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.
The latest list of King reflects the results of two qualification points that are held last weekend, and provides for a decisive March 1st in the derby calendar, in which three further preparations will take place.
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
As a first-class prospect because of his 1 ¼ manure kentucky derby derby, he returns to the plot in the Coolmore Fountain from Youth Stakes on March 1st. His first start since winning the Street Sense Stakes on October 27 in its single two-gymnastics race with five lengths. The conditions of the youth fountain are not suitable for a deceased runner like him, since 1 1/16 miles race at the Gulfstream Park end at the end of the sixteenth pole. This is a building block for a follow-up 1 1/8 miles start and then on May 3 for the roses.
2. Barnes
As usual, he was in Santa Anita Park in a breeze on February 23rd in front of the DK horse Horse San Felipe Stakes on February 23. He is preferred on five rivals in a San Felipe, which should prove to be about its route ability. His two victories in just as many starts came with 5 ½ Furlongs and seven Furlongs, with his race at the latter distance to a 5½-length RAM to the San Vicente Stakes on January 4th.
3. Citizen Bull
The 2-year champion of last year exposes the San Felipe Stakes. He is certainly in the derby with 60 qualification points and is waiting for a start in one of the last derby preparations. This stallion foal turned back when he won February 1 by Robert B. Lewis Stakes with 3 ¾ lengths. In a form validation, the third place from this race, Madaket Road, which ended six lengths behind Citizen Bull, was a quality behind the coal medium in the rebel strain on February 23 in the Oaklawn Park.
4. Opportunities McPatrick
The hopeful stakes and champagne Stakes winners of the past year were in a steady training routine before his planned return to Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. The 1 1/16 mile tampa Bay Derby has been marked its first start in a sixth place in the youth of the Fanduel Breeder 'Cup, which is presented by Taa near Del Mar in his two-turn debut. The competition in Tampa Bay Downs will probably include the Owen Allmighty and Brodeur, a winner of two in a row.
5. Burnham Square
Coach Ian Wilkes was satisfied with the last breeze of this gelding in front of the youth fountain, in which the 3-year-old covered five Furlongs on February 22nd in 1: 01.05 in the Palm Meadows Training Center. The winner of the Holy Bull Stakes faces a quality company in the 1 1/16 miles race on Saturday. In addition to sovereignty, other with graded inserts gate to wire, river Thames and just keep it – although all three are on the basis of two rounds.
6. Coal battle
The winner of the Rebel Stakes will probably drive on March 29 on March 29 in the Oaklawn Park on March 29, although coach Lonnie Briley would like to monitor this stable star in the coming weeks before the decision. “I will let it be told, because if I go to the Kentucky derby with him, I don't want to go with a tired horse,” he said about the public relations work of Oaklawn Park. He has the Kentucky Derby ranking and already has sufficient points (70). His Rebel Stakes victory improved his dirt record to 5-to-5 and led to a career-best 104-equibase speed number.
7. Journalism
Co -owner Aron Wellman, President and founder of Eclipse Thoroughred Partners, is enthusiastic about what this colt can do about the classic distance of the derby. “We just can't go to the bottom of him,” he said in the podcast “Bloodhorse Monday”. The first start of the Colt as a 3-year-old comes in San Felipe, where this stalker could be in a tactical disadvantage, since the apparent pace horses are both Bob Baffert trainees. It is obvious that your jockeys try to avoid an early dispute that wants more tardy or controlled pace.
8. Rodriguez
He was green in Robert B. Lewis, fell back when he intimidated between horses on the back core and then returned in the second round. His second place, in which he has shown 2 ¼ lengths in front of the subsequent second-placed Madaket Road Road, to a promising future. His victory against the next winner Baeza, his front list of juvenile women against the next out-out winner, also jumps out of his previous appearances. After Juan Hernandez stays on board Barnes in San Felipe, it is to pick up the trip with last year's Eclipse award winner Flavien Prat.
9. Sandman
Finally, to get third place behind Coal Battle and Madaket Road in the rebel, he never seemed to be a threat to the profit that made the ground with a overdue rally. Sandman broke better than in the southwest, where he took second place, and raced professionally, but it was slower to accelerate as a coal battle when he started his second gymnastics offer. Sandman continued in a well -rated race and galloped with energy.
10. Built
This experienced Colt has already led the fair grounds three times this winter and is set for another in the Louisiana Derby of March 22nd. He won the Gun Runner Stakes and at that time was for a second in the Lecomte Stakes and a distant third in a quick faith-tip-tone star stakes. After the star winner has been triggered due to injuries, the built building looks like one of the favorites for the Louisiana derby, which was contested at the distance of 1 3/16 miles at the distance of Preakness Stakes.
11. Madake bicker Road
After his connections ran out of the pace in the first three starts, his connections changed the tactics in 1 1/16-mile rebels, with Irad Ortiz Jr. sent him to a clear lead with quick opening columns from: 22.47 and: 45.72. He caught a breather overdue on his back and early in the second curve before the coal battle made its offer and finally came past him. Although the Madaket Road was overdue to reach second place, it was the only horse among the first four early leaders, which ended in the front half of the field.
12. Tappan Street
In the past few weeks, he has not generated the sum of other horses, which is due to the fact that he has been out of operation since his second place in February 1st on February 1st. He exposes itself to the youth on the Saturday fountain, which is not entirely surprising because Brad Cox gives horses between the starts. Find this Colt, which started twice, to benefit from his first route in the Holy Bullen and take a step forward when it reappears.
