This function supplies a capsule take a look at three horses who’re heating up on the Triple Crown path and three horses whose possibilities for the 2024 Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve will not be fairly as robust as they have been a number of weeks in the past.

Within the preliminary version of this weblog for the 2024 run for the roses, the main target is on the racing within the 2-year-old division after the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Offered by TAA. At this level, I feel there is a reasonably large hole between Juvenile winner Fierceness and the remainder of the winners on the Highway to the 2024 Kentucky Derby and past. He’s merely quicker proper now, however a lot can change within the subsequent 20 weeks main into the Could 4 Kentucky Derby.

THREE HEATING UP

1. Dornoch

The primary two spots have been primarily a photograph end between Remsen Stakes winner Dornoch and Kentucky Jockey Membership victor Honor Marie. As a lot enthusiasm as I’ve for Honor Marie’s potential, I’m barely increased on Dornoch’s possibilities to become an elite 3-year-old in 2024. I discussed in higher element in my profile on Remsen Stakes winner Dornoch that he has a behavior of erratic or, extra precisely, immature habits in his races, particularly shedding focus within the stretch. He confirmed unimaginable resilience after he was handed (not headed however really handed) within the Remsen stretch by Sierra Leone then fought again gamely on the within to push his nostril in entrance within the closing strides of the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 2 check. The truth that he had vital gas left within the fuel tank after setting the tempo by means of a half-mile in :46.97 actually stood out to me as an indicator of high quality. He earned a brand new career-best 91 Beyer Velocity Determine for the Remsen and a 97 Equibase Velocity Determine that was a number of ticks off the 101 he earned for a 6 ½-length maiden romp Oct. 14 at Keeneland. Given the immaturity and Dornoch’s pedigree — he’s a full-sibling (identical sire [father], identical dam [mother]) to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage — it’s fairly simple to check a path to achievement on the 2024 Kentucky Derby path and past.

2. Honor Marie

I don’t sometimes love one-run, deep closers like Honor Marie for the Kentucky Derby, however latest historical past has proven that closers like Nation Home (2019), Wealthy Strike (2022), and Mage (2023) can win on the primary Saturday in Could. Likewise, even in years when pace has been potent when it comes to figuring out the winner, closers incessantly move tiring horses within the Churchill stretch to fill out the trifecta or exacta. Honor Marie delivered a breakout race in profitable the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes by two lengths Nov. 25 going 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs. The bay Honor Code colt improved his Equibase Velocity Determine 11 factors to a career-best 101 and boosted his Beyer Velocity Determine 13 factors to a brand new prime of 92. Coach D. Whitworth Beckman is a former assistant to Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown, so he’s been round high quality Derby candidates and this one is bred for stamina. Sire (father) Honor Code, by 1992 Horse of the Yr A.P. Indy, received the 2015 Whitney Stakes and Honor Marie’s dam (mom), Dame Marie, is a Grade 2-placed winner at 1 1/8 miles and a three-quarter sibling to Rule of Legislation, winner of the 2005 English St. Leger at 1 ¾ miles. He isn’t fairly quick sufficient but, however withs two wins and a second in three begins and a Grade 2 victory on the host observe of the Kentucky Derby, there’s vital purpose for optimism.

3. Nysos

In earlier years I didn’t think about horses from the barn of Bob Baffert as a result of they’re ineligible to accrue Kentucky Derby qualifying factors or to compete within the first jewel of the Triple Crown whereas underneath his care as a part of a ban instituted by Churchill Downs within the wake of Media Spirit’s disqualification for a drugs violation within the 2021 Kentucky Derby. However we’ve seen within the final two years that if a Derby prospect has demonstrated the power to compete in marquee races on the highway to the Triple Crown, they are going to be transferred to a different coach (primarily Tim Yakteen in 2022 and 2023) to qualify and compete within the Kentucky Derby. Nysos seemed like that sort of extremely regarded runner in profitable the Grade 2 Bob Hope Stakes at seven-eighths of a mile on Nov. 19 at Del Mar. The bay colt by Nyquist received his debut by 10 ½ lengths in October at Santa Anita and adopted with an 8 ¾-length runaway within the Bob Hope, stamping himself one to look at heading into 2024. Tactical pace is a worthwhile asset for Nysos, however I’m not as bought on Nysos as a 1 ¼-mile horse primarily based on what I’ve seen from him on the racetrack and his pedigree. I do assume the colt by 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist has a strong probability to achieve success navigating two turns as there’s some stamina on the underside half of his pedigree, together with third dam (maternal great-grandmother) Unbridled Elaine, winner of the 2001 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Like Dornoch and Honor Marie, Nysos might want to enhance to be a prime Derby candidate in 2024, however it’s important to like what he’s proven in two begins to this point.

Additionally-Eligible: Whereas Sierra Leone was denied late within the Remsen Stakes by Dornoch, the Gun Runner colt did rally impressively from final of 10 and greater than 12 lengths off the tempo to take the lead, albeit briefly. He improved his Equibase Velocity Determine 10 factors from an 87 for his 1 ¼-length debut win Nov. 4 at Aqueduct to a 97, the darkish bay or brown colt out of 2017 Darley Alcibiades winner Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon, seems to have loads of expertise and stamina.

THREE COOLING DOWN

1. The place’s Chris

The cooling down part is very tough presently of yr with 2-year-olds nonetheless studying, rising, and maturing whereas making an attempt new issues like longer distances and improved competitors for the primary time. Progress isn’t all the time linear with Thoroughbred racehorses, and Nashua Stakes winner The place’s Chris’s fifth-place end within the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes was an instance. The darkish bay or brown Twirling Sweet colt took a pleasant step ahead when stretching out from sprints in his first two races to at least one mile within the Nashua, profitable by three-quarters of a size whereas incomes a 96 Equibase Velocity Determine. He was not fairly as much as the duty within the Remsen, nevertheless, fading late to complete 13 ½ size behind winner Dornoch. Out of Grade 1-placed stakes winner Sea Queen, by Lemon Drop Child, The place’s Chris nonetheless has loads of upside however the Remsen seems to be a step within the improper route for this 2-year-old.

2. Home Product

Home Product was unplaced and overwhelmed by 12 ¾ lengths in his profession debut in a dash in August at Saratoga Race Course, however the Sensible Joke colt stepped ahead in an enormous method when stretching out to a mile in October on the Belmont on the Huge A meet. He raced simply off the tempo and took command close to the highest of the stretch on his approach to a 4 ½-length romp. I actually appreciated his possibilities within the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes — and infrequently on this weblog, my very own expectations for a Derby prospect issue into the heating up/cooling down sections — however he light late after a stalking journey and was overwhelmed by 16 ¼ size by winner Dornoch. The 1 1/8-mile Remsen was, little question, a troublesome task off of a maiden rating, however I seen Home Product as a win contender and he was not fairly prepared. The Klaravich Stables homebred has loads of time to place issues collectively for coach Chad Brown.

3. Danger It

Danger It entered the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs off a runner-up end within the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes Sept. 16 at Churchill Downs. With a win on the principle observe that hosted the Kentucky Jockey Membership, Danger It seemed like a first-rate win candidate for the 1 1/16-mile race and was despatched off as the three.65-1 second betting alternative for Corridor of Fame coach Steve Asmussen. He completed fourth, overwhelmed by 8 ¼ lengths, within the Kentucky Jockey Membership however not with out vital bother within the race. He was steadied a number of instances and it appeared to actually rattle him. Let’s hope it was, as a minimum, an excellent studying expertise for Danger It in his third begin. A $500,000 buy on the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale, Danger It stays a high quality younger prospect however I’d anticipated a greater consequence for him within the Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes.