Kentucky Derby 2018 Daily: Peace set for coming out party?

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.

Trainer Richard Mandella isn’t one to talk up his horses before they’ve proven plenty on the racetrack. So, that he’s keeping mum about a leading contender for Saturday’s latest West Coast prep for the 2018 Kentucky Derby prep speaks volumes.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Mandella told the Daily Racing Form of Peace’s future.

Perhaps, because he doesn’t want to jinx it.

While more accomplished runners will go in Saturday’s other preps, Gulfstream Park’s Grade 2 Holy Bull and Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Withers, the Grade 3, $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes is welcoming a new star to emerge on the trail. Nine entered, with none of them previous stakes winners.

So, about Peace: He’s that sort of 3-year-old mentioned by the wise guys always saying “wait until you see this one.” Finally, we will after the Violence colt was beaten by eventual Smarty Jones Stakes winner Mourinho in his debut and Shivermetimbers, another Lewis contender, second out.

Peace then broke his maiden Dec. 30 going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita Park.

“He continues to get a little smarter,” Mandella told DRF. “He was kind of a laid-back horse that didn’t take life too seriously early, which is nice. Sometimes, it’s the other way.”

Look for the famous Spendthrift colors on Saturday. Peace tuned up by drilling six furlongs Saturday in 1:13.60.

Romans to run three in Holy Bull

Four of 11 horses entered for Saturday’s $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes are trained by Dale Romans. He intends to send three of them postward, with one of the Albaugh Family Stables duo of Free Drop Billy or Hollywood Star set to pass on the race. The Grade 3 Sam F. Davis also runs a week from Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.

“If I run three, it’ll be for three different owners,” Romans said. “It might be better for me to keep them all separated, but I think this is the best race for all these horses to start back this year.”

One that seems certain to go in the Holy Bull is Tiz Mischief, who lost out in a photo finish to Enticed in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last November at Churchill Downs. The Into Mischief colt has trained sharply up to this spot following a brief freshening.

“He’s doing great. He’s moved forward,” Romans said. “I think he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with this year. He’s been training lights out.”

Bandito, Romans’ other entry, figures to be a longshot on or near the lead early, whereas his other contenders will do their best running late. Hollywood Star (sixth) and Free Drop Billy (ninth) both exit the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

“Hollywood ran a nice race. I have no excuse for Free Drop Billy,” Romans said. “I’ve quit trying to make one. He ran bad. Something wasn’t right that day. Horses that he beat beat him. He just didn’t run a jump, the only time in his life. He’s back training super. We’ll just draw a line through it.”

A small field for the Withers

Avery Island returns to New York, site of his victory in the Grade 2 Nashua in November, to clash with multiple graded stakes winner Firenze Fire and $2 million maiden Marconi in Saturday’s $250,000 Withers Stakes.

Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains Avery Island, has won the race three times with Divine Park (2007), Mr. Fantasy (2009) and Alpha (2012). Off a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Remsen, the colt has trained up to this spot in Florida.

"He had a smooth trip,” McLaughlin said of the return North. “He trained this morning and all systems are go. He's doing great. We feel like he's improving all the time and he likes the track there, he's been first and second on it in two stakes, so we're feeling good about Saturday. He's ready and we know he wants the distance, so it's all a plus. We wouldn't trade places with anybody.”

Joe Bravo continues to hold the mount on Avery Island, whose Remsen runner-up effort delivered a bit of an education.

"Catholic Boy ran a huge race that day but we took dirt and settled a little bit and put in a nice run to be second,” McLaughlin said. “We gave weight to everybody in the race and we have to do it again on Saturday. I don't necessarily like it, but it is what it is."

The Withers’ recent history

This race hasn’t indicated much in the way of actual Derby contenders in the last decade, with Revolutionary’s third-place finish in 2013 the best by a Withers runner lately. Saturday’s renewal drew six runners.

Click the chart below for a more detailed race history.

Other races of note Saturday

• Expect a contender or two to emerge on the Derby trail from the Grade 3 Swale, run on the Holy Bull under card at seven furlongs. Strike Power, who registered a 102 Beyer Speed Figure in his debut, makes a quick move to stakes company, while Diamond King recently transferred to Derby-winning trainer John Servis’ barn. Tricks to Doo is a $600,000 yearling purchase and stakes winner as well.

• Untamed Domain, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up, will make Gulfstream’s Grade 3 Dania Beach a most unconventional Derby prep. Trainer Graham Motion plans to start the son of Animal Kingdom on the trail, but not until races are worth enough qualifying points to merit a switch in surfaces.

• Exclamation Point, a half brother to 2-year-old champion and Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire, will make his racing debut Saturday in Oaklawn Park’s fourth race. He’s in the care of up-and-coming trainer Brad Cox and will break from post position nine of 11.

In case you missed it…

Tuesday’s Daily Derby report featured an interview with Todd Pletcher on one of his favorite times of year — right now, mapping out campaigns to get in the Churchill Downs starting gate.

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