Yes, there will be plenty of questions even after this year’s Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) takes shape, but this weekend has its own uncertainties and three races on the machine will provide a number of answers.
To start, we should have a pretty good idea of this year’s Derby after the Saturday when the Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino (G2) from Water troughsToyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keenelandand Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita . Park are the last 170 point races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
NBC plans to cover the afternoon of all three races in a televised program that will begin at 4:30 ET and feature Wood Memorial at 4:45, Blue Grass at 5:10 and Santa Anita Derby at 5. :30.
The three storylines I’ll be following this weekend include:
first-All eyes were on the performance of three horses formerly trained by Bob Baffert in the Santa Anita Derby. As Churchill Downs did not award any Road to the Kentucky Derby points to these athletes when they were coached by Baffert, the trio now coached by Tim Yakteen will have to earn points on Saturday to qualify.
The most successful runner in the group is Messier , participant in the 15 minute 1/16 mile race Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) on February 6 in Santa Anita. Extends to 1 1/8 mile Saturday so suitable for son of Empire Maker .
The other two athletes who trained Yakteen were Armagnac the son of Quality Sugar who scored an impressive first win earlier this year but faltered in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) on March 5; and Taiba the son of Gunman who entered the winning 7 1/2 length in the girls’ six-child race on March 5 in Santa Anita.
2-Multiple Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown currently has no Derby horses in the top 25 in the scoring list but looking at the recent form of his two horses taking part this weekend, Vote early and Zandon Show that they can arrive at the right time.
The Klaravich Stables early voting (5-2 this past morning in Wood Memorial) came out with a first win in December and then a clear 4 1/2-length advantage in the Withers Stakes ( G3) on February 5 at Viaduct. In addition to that dominant communication score, in which he defeated the ultimate winner of Rebel Stakes (G2) Un Ojo Early voting has introduced a strong stream of workouts that show 3-year-olds making rapid progress.
Brown will also beat Jeff Drown’s Zandon in Blue Grass (5-2 a.m.) to third place in the Risen Star Stakes presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) on February 19 at Fair Grounds & Slots. After some initial trouble in the Resurrection Star, the son of Start up Last race out of 10, he rallied five wide to secure that spot. Like Early Vote, Zandon has assembled an impressive array of work since that effort.
3—Coach Ken McPeek has taken different approaches to his two talented Blue Grass runners—both owned by Lucky Seven Stable—like Happy smile will start first from the rally to finish second in the Resurrection Star while Rattle N Roll made a quick turnaround to finish fourth in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2).
Both of those races were won by Epicenter who topped the Road to Kentucky Derby scoreboard with 164. Smile Happy will start his career fourth time in Blue Grass while Rattle N Roll will start seventh.
Smile Happy’s Risen Star effort deserves extra credit as the Fair Grounds track favors early runners on February 19, a detail that also pleased Zandon. They will meet in the whole field on Saturday. The answers to follow up.
