Kentucky Derby 2018 Daily: Making a point about the points

Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily — proudly sponsored by NYRA Bets — which will each day leading up to the May 5 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.

By Jonathan Lintner

First, a disclaimer: Kiaran McLaughlin didn't mean to complain, nor did he think it made the difference in Avery Island’s 4 3/4-length defeat to Catholic Boy last November the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes.

But something to consider moving forward, he said, is that “I feel like every points race should be equal weights if we’re trying to get the 20 best horses in the Kentucky Derby.”

And that’s a good point about the points, which will set the field for a sixth year in the 2018 Kentucky Derby.

McLaughlin-trained Avery Island dealt with a two-pound handicap to Catholic Boy and four pounds to other Remsen runners because he won an earlier graded stakes at Aqueduct, the Nashua.

“It’s hard that we have to be penalized for winning the Nashua each year going into the Remsen — giving weight when the Remsen’s a points race and the Nashua isn’t,” McLaughlin said.

Mohaymen, another McLaughlin horse, took the same route as a juvenile in the fall of 2015 and won the Remsen. He went on to be one of the top betting choices in the Derby at age 3.

Of course, two pounds won't offset open lengths. And Avery Island, a Godolphin-owned son of Street Sense, is pointed toward another New York stop on the Derby trail, the Grade 3 Withers on Feb. 3.

McLaughlin's pitch is more about future Derby trails.

“I don’t care how old a horse is — if you look at the world of racing, weight will stop a freight train if you put enough on it,” he said. “Weight is important, and you just hate to give up weight to any horse. It’s a handicapping tool, I know, for gambling, and it is what it is. You just hate to give up weight in races.”

With travel to tracks around the country easier than ever, the onus could be on racetracks to level the field in their respective preps to continue attracting contenders from at least one top barn.

Baffert lines up his runners

Trainer Bob Baffert is keeping next-race options open for undefeated McKinzie off his Jan. 6 victory in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes, the Daily Racing Form reports. Per the dispatch, McKinzie is expected to race twice more before the first Saturday in May. A logical spot is Santa Anita Park’s Grade 2 San Felipe on March 10, though if there’s a wish to dodge Bolt d’Oro in his return, the Grade 3 Sunland Derby has attracted top West Coast runners in the past.

Baffert told DRF that “we will have something at the Rebel,” Oaklawn Park’s March 17 prep. Both that race and the San Felipe offer 50 qualifying points to the winner.

Before the Rebel is the Feb. 19 Southwest Stakes, a Grade 3 race that should include Mourinho, winner of the Arkansas track’s Smarty Jones Stakes.

In addition to McKinzie and Mourinho, Baffert trains Solomini, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up awaiting his first workout of the New Year.

The works

Ax Man — Another from the Baffert barn, this flashy debut winner isn’t on the trail yet but could find himself there with a solid performance in the Grade 2 San Vicente going seven furlongs on Feb. 10. He tuned up Tuesday by drilling a half mile in 47.40 seconds (2/21) at Santa Anita Park.

Catholic Boy — His Saturday work wasn’t reported to Equibase until Monday. Such is the nature of training at Bridlewood Farm, not known as a center for Derby hopefuls. But he looks like a legit one going into 3-year-old stakes at Tampa Bay Downs with a four-furlong move in 48.20 (1/14).

Derby links

• Writing for Bet America, J. Keeler Johnson lists his updated Derby top 10 headed by Good Magic, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner who returned to the work tab Sunday. Trainer Chad Brown “doesn’t need to find out if Good Magic can compete at this level, because the colt’s decisive victory in the Breeders’ Cup has already shown he has the talent to be a factor against the best horses of his generation.”

• The official Kentucky Derby website’s latest “5 Fast Facts” series focused on largest winning margins in the race’s history (this year marks Derby 144). Two of those listed are from modern-era renewals of the race.

• D. Wayne Lukas saddled Mourinho for Baffert in last week’s Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn, and Baffert told America’s Best Racing the story behind stars aligning. “Every day Mourinho was with him, Wayne called me to tell how the horse was doing. He cared for him like he was his own horse.”

In case you missed it…

Tuesday’s Derby Daily report gave the lowdown on Grade 2 Saratoga Special winner Copper Bullet, away from the races since that victory last summer but back on the work tab now. Will he be back before the Derby?

• Catch up with all the latest Derby news by reading past editions of HRN’s Derby Daily report.