Kentucky Derby 2019 Radar: Upcoming preps take shape

Here's a sampling of news and notes related to who's pointing where, with each of these preps offering Derby qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 scale.

Churchill Downs has released an intriguing list of probables that includes a number of runners previously mentioned in this space. Signalman, third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, returns, while Dale Romans-trained Blue Steel and Todd Pletcher's King for a Day will move up off strong maiden scores. Current, another for Pletcher, is a runner switching surfaces after seventh in the Juvenile Turf.

Here's the landing spot for the well-regarded Code of Honor, second in the Champagne Stakes (G1) after stumbling, and a pick for the Juvenile by many. But a spiked temperature forced connections to scratch the morning of that race. The son of Noble Mission is back on the work tab as of Thursday. According to BloodHorse, Nashua Stakes winner Vekoma is likely to skip this spot. The new stakes horse to watch is Maximus Mischief, whose 98 Beyer Speed Figure last out in an allowance win at Parx Racing is the best of this crop so far.

Improbable, who shares connections to Triple Crown runner Justify, will move to graded stakes off his romp in the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs. Bob Baffert is likely to saddle multiple runners here. Saturday's Bob Hope Stakes (G3) at Del Mar could produce a runner, while Race 1 at Del Mar marks the debut of Coliseum, a Godolphin runner trained for Baffert and already 20-1 for the Derby at Bovada.LV. Yes, the rich are getting richer.

According to the Daily Racing Form, Hopeful Stakes (G1) winner Mind Control will make his next start here coming out of a seventh-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Squeezed at the start, he's eligible to improve given the drop in class. Trainer Steve Asmussen saddled the Top 3 in Remington's local Springboard Mile prep, the Clever Trevor, in Long Range Toddy, Cajun Firecracker and Tobacco Road.