Summary: Tapit Trice pursues 1st grade on Blue Grass

Once again, the April 8 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) promise to play an integral role in completing the 20th pitch for the Kentucky Derby (G1). With a total qualifying score of 200 and a 100-40-30-20-10 distribution for the top five finishers, Blue Grass could open the door for the first Saturday of May at Churchill Downs for a few beginners.

Featured among the entries is the winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) Tapit Tricewho could help Hall of Fame coach Todd Pletcher become even more formidable in the Derby, if that is possible for someone who has loved the heavyweight Derby in Forte and winner of the Louisiana Derby (G1) Kingsbarns .

2. clean the air (30-1): He also entered Wood Memorial (G2) but is expected to run in Blue Grass. If he was at home here at Keenelandhe is credited with finishing fifth in two dirt road races in his career to his credit.

RACE: Ricardo Santana Jr.; TEACHER: Will Walden

3. Verification in progress (3-1): He has a lot of talent, as evidenced by his second place in Champagne Stakes (G1) last year. His fourth place in Rebel Stakes (G2) was a disappointment, but he had some traffic problems while running on sloppy roads. That’s reason enough to give him a second chance.

4. Classic car wash (12-1): He looked like a winner of the Tampa Bay Derby until Tapit Trice overtook him late, forcing him to finish second in a good attempt. If you like him and don’t bet on him, you’ll probably end up with a sad, down, mind-numbing car wash job if he wins.

5. Hayes attack (15-1): He won the Privacy Terms Shares at Laurel Park last time to remind us that he was good enough to finish close to third in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at the age of 2. If he took it one step further, he could feel his presence here.

RACING: James Graham; TEACHER: Ken McPeek

6. Scoobie Quando (15-1): Failure to start in a dirt race often results in losing bets like this, but he finished second in a game at Turfway Park and had Uncle Mo as a sire plus his sharp training on this track make him an attractive possibility.

7. Thunder (10-1): He impressed with a second place in Risen Star Stakes (G2) but then finished fifth due to some traffic problems during the Louisiana Derby (G2). He seems like a person who likes to get in and out and this has no sense of a place where he will shoot his best shot.

8. Blazing Sevens (6-1): Winning the Champagne Stakes made him one of the division leaders, but then he finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup for Minors (G1). He appears to be a threat to Forte in Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) but falls behind by 26 miles. It must be believed that coach Chad Brown wouldn’t have run here unless that zero-effort effort was down to luck, so he probably deserves another chance.

9. Main blue (30-1): He’s coach D. Wayne Lukas’ hope for a ticket to the Kentucky Derby and he’s won his last two starts, but his pace stats show see him as a notch below the top contenders.

ten. raise Cain (9-2): He worked hard to win a Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct last time around, but it was in the mud with a 23-1 scoreline. Before that, he was competitive on the stakes, but a possible 1-2 punch in Gotham and posting 10th diminished his appeal.

11. March Mendelssohn (20-1): The promising pony undefeated in two starts has been given a tough assignment from 11th place. Will need Brian Hernandez Jr.