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BloodHorse information editor Byron King presents his Derby Dozen with a have a look at his main contenders for the Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve on Might 4.
Final week, 4 Kentucky Derby preps have been held on an action-packed Feb. 3: the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct, the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, and the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Just one qualifying factors race for the 150th Derby is on the calendar for the upcoming weekend, the Sam F. Davis Stakes Feb. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs.
Try America’s Finest Racing’s Triple Crown web page to maintain updated with tales and statistics on the Highway to the Kentucky Derby.
1. Dornoch
If Churchill Downs Inc. had not prolonged its ban of coach Bob Baffert from competitors at their tracks, Nysos – the Baffert-trained Robert B. Lewis Stakes winner – can be main the Derby Dozen. As a substitute, the sting within the rankings goes to Dornoch, a full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage. Final yr’s Remsen Stakes winner, he’s pointed towards the March 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. After a simple preliminary exercise at Palm Meadows Coaching Middle in South Florida, overlaying a half-mile in :51.95 Jan. 22, he picked up the tempo with a sharper transfer over the identical distance there Jan. 30 in :49.15.
2. Fierceness
Final yr’s champion juvenile male descends a spot within the Derby Dozen following a mediocre effort in his 3-year-old debut within the Feb. 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream. The colt appeared disinterested from the break, a bit sluggish into stride, after which wanted to be hard-hustled to safe an up-close place exterior. He solid to a brief lead on the far flip, however when Corridor of Fame jockey John Velazquez requested him nearing the stretch, he was unresponsive and settled for third, crushed 3 ½ lengths. This was far beneath the colt’s greatest, admittedly in his first begin of the yr.
3. Locked
He missed a scheduled breeze final week after preserving an everyday exercise schedule since mid-December. Corridor of Fame coach Todd Pletcher advised Every day Racing Type the colt spiked a temperature and would miss a deliberate begin within the Feb. 10 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Supplied his setback is just a easy fever, he nonetheless has the wiggle room this early within the season to get two preps underneath his belt earlier than the Might 4 Kentucky Derby. Not an insurmountable setback, however a setback nonetheless.
The present top-ranked 3-year-old in Louisiana, having gained each the Dec. 23 Gun Runner Stakes and the Jan. 20 Lecomte Stakes at Honest Grounds on the lead, he’s pointed subsequent to the Feb. 17 Risen Star Stakes. That race is prone to be stronger than the earlier stakes within the collection, and the 1 1/8-mile distance ought to present him and different opponents with a stamina take a look at over the lengthy stretch at Honest Grounds. After a comparatively sluggish Lecomte on pace figures, wanting to see if he can produce a sooner efficiency within the Risen Star.
5. Sierra Leone
He’s scheduled to return from a layoff within the Risen Star. Since his near-miss within the Remsen, when he rallied to go Dornoch within the stretch earlier than being edged by that one by a nostril on the wire, he has recorded a collection of weekly half-mile drills at Payson Park for coach Chad Brown. A $2.3 million public sale buy, he seems to be the a part of the stallion within the making – being by the good Gun Runner out of the Grade 1-winning mare Heavenly Love.
6. Perpetually Younger
This 3-year-old has shined in Japan, profitable all three of his races, together with the Dec. 13 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun by seven lengths. The Japan Highway to the Kentucky Derby continues Feb. 18 with the Hyacinth Stakes. Japanese-trained runners haven’t completed higher than sixth in six Derby begins, however given their worldwide achievements, it appears solely a matter of time earlier than they contend. Japanese horses gained two Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar in 2021, and final yr Derma Sotogake ran second within the Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional at Santa Anita Park in his first begin since a sixth within the Derby.
7. Timberlake
Coach Brad Cox is drawn to the space of the 1 1/16-mile Insurgent Stakes Feb. 24 at Oaklawn Park or alternatively the one-mile Gotham Stakes March 2 at Aqueduct for this colt’s return. His massive win final yr came to visit a sloppy observe within the one-mile Champagne Stakes earlier than a fourth-place end behind Fierceness within the FanDuel Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Offered by TAA. He settled a bit of higher final yr as soon as blinkers have been eliminated. If he stays on his present breeze schedule, he would have 5 works at age 3 earlier than the Insurgent, not as full a worktab as others.
8. Nash
Nash was outrun by Observe Phantom in his two stakes begins – ending third within the Gun Runner Stakes and second within the Lecomte Stakes – however keen to offer Nash the advantage of the doubt that there’s extra to be seen from him. His maiden win at Churchill Downs final fall was wonderful, and a Feb. 2 exercise in :49.60 at Honest Grounds that adopted the Lecomte was achieved effortlessly. It is perhaps untimely for folk to dismiss him as a minimize beneath the opposite main Derby contenders.
9. Honor Marie
The Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes winner has been breezing with unraced stablemate Drip this winter in Louisiana as he gears up for a return within the Risen Star Stakes. This Honor Code colt confirmed vital enchancment as soon as stretched out to 2 turns final fall, and the 1 1/8-mile distance of the Risen Star would appear to be one thing he ought to respect. His solely defeat in three begins got here when second when racing seven furlongs at Churchill Downs behind eventual Remington Springboard Mile Stakes winner and Southwest Stakes sixth-place finisher Otto the Conqueror.
10. Mystik Dan
He got here into the Feb. 3 Southwest Stakes with a distance query mark, having twice been fifth in a pair of races at a mile after a second-out maiden victory in fast time when sprinting. However he answered the stamina query within the 1 1/16-mile Southwest by blitzing the opposition by eight lengths, with a closing sixteenth timed in a :5.93 en path to last time in 1:43.67. This was an impressive effort, albeit on a muddy/sealed observe that he might have relished greater than his friends.
11. Catching Freedom
He didn’t blow away the competitors in profitable the Jan. 1 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Simply 3 ¼ lengths separated first by way of fifth, however he dealt with a strong group. Mystik Dan and Simply Metal – fifth and second, respectively – ran 1-2 within the Southwest. This colt appears to be an enhancing kind with a top quality end, and his 2-for-3 file can also be interesting. A late runner, he figures to be most harmful in races that unfold with a contested tempo.
12. Hades
The Holy Bull was not fast – 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.07, leading to a 95 Equibase Pace Determine – however to this gelding’s credit score, he turned again the problem of Fierceness and outlasted Home Product to enhance to 3-for-3. His connections really feel as if there’s nonetheless extra room for improvement, which shall be crucial if he’s to observe up on his Holy Bull success. He caught Fierceness on an off day in his 3-year-old return, and the others within the Holy Bull had both no graded stakes expertise or had been beforehand outrun in such firm.
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