After an exciting several months the Road To The Kentucky Derby has reached its terminus.
Horse racing’s biggest moment is only days away, as the best 3-year-old Thoroughbreds are set to compete May 3rd in the $5 million dollar Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
A competitive field is lined up for the 151st edition of the Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports, featuring horses connected to some of the biggest names in the game as well as contenders coming from less heralded origins.
So, cue up Call to Post here’s a brief look at Post Positions 1 through 7:
1. CITIZEN BULL [ML 20-1] Jockey: Martin Garcia. Trainer: Bob Baffert. Unlike the majority of horses in this year’s field that are on a forward trajectory in improvement, this one needs a major rebound in order to Win on May 3rd. CITIZEN BULL seems a need-the-lead type runner who can only Win if he is able to set an easy pace – a task that will be very difficult to do in the Kentucky Derby with several other speed horses entered. Adding to his burden is the inside post position in the 20-horse field, gate #1 has not produced a Kentucky Derby Winner since FERDINAND in 1986.
2. NEOEQUOS [ML 30-1] Jockey: Flavien Prat. Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr. This one gained entry into the Kentucky Derby on April 25th when the connections of BUILT withdrew their contender. In his last two outings NEOEQUOS finished 3rd in both the Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth Stakes. In both those races he dueled for the lead, but tired late without letting up. If he runs in a similar fashion in the Derby, it would be a heck-of an achievement but still might result in an off-the-board finish. He seems best suited to distances up to a mile rather than the Derby’s classic mile-and-a-quarter assignment.
3. FINAL GAMBIT [ML 30-1] Jockey: Luan Machado. Trainer: Brad Cox. This Winner of the Jeff Ruby Stakes– (which is contested on an all-weather surface), has never ran on a dirt track. He unleashed a visually impressive closing kick to win the 1 1/8-mile Jeff Ruby by 3 ½ lengths, which came after he was bumped and bothered at the start and raced at the back of the 12-horse field for the first half mile. Overall, FINAL GAMBIT will offer some solid Value and should be considered in Kentucky Derby exotic wagers. If he handles the surface switch – and it’s a big if – this long-winded runner could make up a lot of late ground and light up the tote board with an in-the-money finish.
4. RODRIGUEZ [ML 12-1] Jockey: Mike Smith. Trainer: Bob Baffert. After knocking heads with several of the best racehorses in Southern California this colt was shipped to New York for a final Derby prep in the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial and two-time Kentucky Derby-Winning jockey Mike (Big Money) Smith was aboard for the first time. The result? A front-running, 3 ½-length Win with a good speed figure. RODRIGUEZ will once again match up with JOURNALISM and CITIZEN BULL in the Run For The Roses, both of whom defeated him handily in California, but as previously noted RODRIGUEZ is on the upswing, and if he moves forward again in the Kentucky Derby, he’s got a chance at posting a mild upset.
5. AMERICAN PROMISE [ML 30-1] Jockey: Nik Juarez. Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas. This physically imposing son of 2018 Triple Crown Winner JUSTIFY enters into the Kentucky Derby off of a dominant Win in the Virginia Derby, perhaps giving his supporters a little confidence that he’s finally reaching his potential. He has been training well since that Win and Juarez keeps the mount, which will be his first start in the Kentucky Derby. AMERICAN PROMISE has a good pedigree for handling a mile and a quarter and his legendary trainer has entered him in high-quality races in each of his nine starts, which are the most in this year’s Derby field.
6. ADMIRE DAYTONA [ML 30-1] Jockey: Christophe Lemaire. Trainer: Yukihiro Kato. This Japanese-bred and Japan-based colt secured his spot in the gate by earning 100 points in Churchill’s Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby series with a hard-fought Victory in the United Arab Emirates Derby. Now the challenge becomes, can ADMIRE DAYTONA improve off of that taxing race after shipping halfway around the world? He should be part of the early pace, but it would be a real shocker to hear his name called when the field turns for home.
7. LUXOR CAFE [ML 15-1] Jockey: Joao Moreira. Trainer: Noriyuki Hori. He comes into the Derby on a four-race Win streak, including three Stakes Victories that clinched his starting spot in Louisville as the leader in Churchill Downs’ Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby division. Moreira is one of the top riders in Hong Kong, but his lack of experience in this race plus the lower caliber of opposition LUXOR CAFE has been competing against are the two main question marks. That said, this son of 2015 Triple Crown Winner AMERICAN PHAROAH is bred for the 1 ¼-mile distance and his races in Japan have the optics of a potential Kentucky Derby Winner.
On Wednesday Daily Racing Blog will look at Post Positions 8 through 14. So be sure to stop back.
