Kentucky Derby 2018 Daily: Probables for the next preps
Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, 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.
This weekend marks the last between now and April 14 without a points-paying 2018 Kentucky Derby prep, with the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes looming next on the trail.
The Gulfstream Park feature will include Good Magic, the 2-year-old champion making his seasonal debut, and very well could be the deepest qualifier yet on the road to Churchill Downs.
Who else is pointing to it? And what about other upcoming races on the trail? Here’s what we project, with information from HRN’s Stakes Tracker along with Churchill publicity’s most recent Derby Dispatch.
Horses are listed with Derby points, and asterisks (*) indicate Kentucky Derby hopefuls under consideration for multiple races.
Fountain of Youth (G2) to be run over 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla.: Good Magic (24), Free Drop Billy (14), Enticed* (13), Marconi (2), Gotta Go (0), Storm Runner (0), Strike Power (0). Points to Top 4: 50-20-10-5.
Gotham (G3) to be run over one mile at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y.: Firenze Fire (24), Enticed* (13), Cove Blue (0), Kanthaka (0), Quip* (0). Points to Top 4: 50-20-10-5.
Tampa Bay Derby (G2) to be run over 1 1/16 miles at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla.: Avery Island* (14), Enticed* (13), Flameaway (10), Tiz Mischief* (6), Vino Rosso (2), Quip* (0), Untamed Domain (0), World of Trouble (0), Justaholic (0). Points to Top 4: 50-20-10-5.
San Felipe (G2) to be run over 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.: McKinzie* (20), Bolt d’Oro (14), Solomini* (14), Lombo (10), Ayacara (GB) (4). Points to Top 4: 50-20-10-5.
Rebel (G2) to be run over 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.: McKinzie* (20), Solomini* (14), Combatant (12), My Boy Jack* (10), Tiz Mischief* (6), Zing Zang (1), Magnum Moon (0), Mississippi (0), Higher Power (0), Title Ready (0). Points to Top 4: 50-20-10-5.
Louisiana Derby (G2) to be run over 1 1/8 miles at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.: Bravazo (50), Snapper Sinclair (22), Avery Island* (14), Catholic Boy* (14), Noble Indy (10). Points to Top 4: 100-40-20-10.
Sunland Derby (G3) to be run over 1/18 miles at Sunland Park in Hobbs, New Mexico: New York Central (0). Points to Top 4: 50-20-10-5.
UAE Derby (G2) to be run over 1 3/16 miles at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai: Gold Town (GB) (0), Mendelssohn (0, also could run on European Road to the Derby). Points to Top 4: 100-40-20-10.
Florida Derby (G1) to be run over 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla.: Catholic Boy* (14), Audible (10). Points to Top 4: 100-40-20-10.
Races we haven’t included on this list — in chronological order, the Jeff Ruby Steaks, Wood Memorial, Blue Grass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, Arkansas Derby and Lexington Stakes — do not yet have horses pointing directly to them.
Derby links
• In a rundown of his 3-year-old prospects with The Thoroughbred Daily News, trainer Steve Asmussen weighed in on Principe Guilherme, who appeared full of hope coming into the New Year but ran seventh in the Grade 2 Risen Star. “We sent him in for a check up,” Asmussen said. “He was obviously off his performance and if he is not himself, we will find the reason why.”
• It was a balmy start to the week in Louisville, home of the Derby. In fact, points out meteorologist John Belski, a high of 82 degrees Tuesday — on Feb. 20 — was warmer than 45 of the last 50 Derby Days. We’ll hope for a repeat on May 5.
• With Justify the newest name to know on the trail following Sunday’s dazzling debut, The Daily Racing Form's latest "Derby Watch" delves into whether he or Magnum Moon, another unbeaten colt who got to the races just this year, can test the Apollo curse. Said trainer Todd Pletcher: We’ve seen other Derby trends change, and “this will end, too.”
The works
Curly’s Rocket — A 3 1/4-length maiden winner Feb. 3 at third asking, this one isn’t at the top of the class for trainer Bob Baffert, but we could see him on the Derby trail before the first Saturday in May. This second work back went in 1:13.60 for 6/8 of a mile (6/11).
Firenze Fire — The multiple stakes winner, defeated last out in the Grade 3 Withers, will continue on the Derby trail in New York. Working over Belmont Park’s training track, he breezed a half mile Wednesday in an easy 51.23 (53/59).
Gotta Go — He’s nominated to the Fountain of Youth, a logical spot after a late run for second around one turn in the Grade 3 Swale. With two works since then, the latest registered five furlongs in 1:01.20 (5/13) at the Palm Meadows Training Center.
In case you missed it…
Tuesday’s Derby Daily report highlights a few horses who, after a busy weekend of Derby preps, deserve another chance on the trail before we truly know whether they’re contender.
• Catch up with all the latest Derby news by reading past editions of HRN’s Derby Daily report.