Kentucky Derby 2018 Daily: Updating the odds 100 days out
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, as we hit 100 days until the 2018 Kentucky Derby, the race’s official Twitter account provided this scene-setting video…
Wishing it was the first Saturday in May? Me too.
In the spirit of it, here’s a look at the latest odds listed by the Wynn Las Vegas. The top choices are all the same big names: Bolt d’Oro (7-1), McKinzie (10-1), Good Magic (14-1) and Solomini (18-1).
Some others of note:
• The Wynn thinks highly — or took money on — maiden winner Peace (25-1). We could see the Richard Mandella trainee in next weekend’s Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis.
• World of Trouble is down to 60-1 having won Tampa Bay Downs’ Pasco Stakes in near-record time. We’ll see if he can carry that speed around two turns.
• Retirement Fund, a Fair Grounds allowance winner over the weekend for trainer Steve Asmussen, is down to 75-1 and looking like a stakes candidate.
• Since running second in his debut, Faversham, the full brother of Calfiornia Chrome, dropped to 100-1 from his opening price of 250-1.
• Gleason, a 5 1/2-length debut winner for trainer Todd Pletcher, opened at 125-1 off his victory last Saturday at Tampa.
See the full Wynn odds below:
Telekinesis' debut delayed
We were awaiting a big debut Thursday by Telekinesis, a $470,000 son of Ghostzapper who trainer Mark Casse told us to keep an eye on earlier this month. Casse, of course, is still looking for a successor to Classic Empire, the former champion who headed up his Derby trail contenders a year ago.
Unfortunately, while on the board as a 4-5 favorite in Fair Grounds' Race 7, the colt was scratched after flipping in the paddock. The horse was apparently OK afterward but, per race caller John Dooley, a vet scratch.
Another notable entrant, Perfect Seeker, also scratched. He’s a full brother to Grade 1 Clark Handicap winner and Pegasus World Cup contender Seeking the Soul.
A work of note
Zulfikhar — Away from the races since winning his July 7 debut at Los Alamitos, the Bob Baffert trainee continued a consistent work pattern Thursday, breezing a half mile in 48 seconds (4/38) at Santa Anita. A son of Bodemeister, out of a Mineshaft mare, this one figures to like more distance in his next start. He has drilled regularly since late November.
Derby links
• A bit of perspective: The race we spend much of the year discussing, the Kentucky Derby, does not rank highly on the world scale in its strength. The 2017 Derby is tied for 60th on the World’s Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races list released this week. The Breeders’ Cup Classic (4th), Pegasus World Cup (10th) and Breeders’ Cup Turf (17th) were deemed our top domestic races.
• Trainer D. Wayne Lukas says Grade 1 winner Sporting Chance, off since September due to a knee chip, is on pace to return in Oaklawn Park’s Feb. 19 Southwest Stakes, a Grade 3 test on the Derby trail. “We don’t have to commit, but it’s definitely on the radar screen for us.”
• And from the weird news department: The Spiral Stakes is no more. Turfway Park on Thursday announced a three-year deal to call the race the Jeff Ruby Steaks, a play on words to the restauranteur’s best-known product. Taking it too far with the puns, especially on the Derby trail? Let us know what you think.
In case you missed it…
Wednesday’s Derby Daily report named a next race spot for Instilled Regard, the Grade 3 Lecomte winner who has emerged as a top contender to open the year.
• Catch up with all the latest Derby news by reading past editions of HRN’s Derby Daily report.