Kentucky Derby 2020 Radar: Pletcher unveils Market Analysis

With plenty of time still to make an impact on the 2020 Kentucky Derby trail, a buzz horse from the Todd Pletcher barn (mostly) lived up to the hype Saturday in his Gulfstream Park debut.

Bet down to 6-5 on the Pegasus World Cup’s undercard, Market Analaysis prevailed under a confident ride by jockey John Velazquez, who had the Honor Code colt gearing down — and nearly caught by longshot Attachment Rate — in a seven-furlong maiden special weight flight.

The WinStar Farm and China Horse Club colt was off a step slow but rushed up to press just off fractions of 22.44 and 45.53. Through the turn, he ranged up outside of pace-setting Express Pharoah and took over the lead by the top of the lane.

In gliding to a final time of 1:24.13, Velazquez used two touches of the whip before finishing up in a hand ride. Attachment Rate closed to within about a length at the wire.

Connections went to $250,000 for Market Analysis as a yearling, and word out of Pletcher’s Palm Beach Downs base led to this one going off as the favorite, well below his 7-2 morning line price.

A monster he was not, at least on the day, but Market Analysis opened up options for himself moving forward either in allowance optional claiming company or straight into a Derby prep. Being out of an Exchange Rate mare, he figures to excel going farther than Saturday’s seven panels.

Two races earlier, Pletcher and Velazquez teamed up to win with another horse to watch. Candy Tycoon, who similarly generated buzz leading up to his unveiling at Saratoga, ended up needing five starts to break his maiden.

But the son of Twirling Candy, a $170,000 2-year-old purchase for Mathis Stable, may have had a lightbulb sort of moment when out-dueling Pletcher stablemate Gimme Some Mo in a 1 1/16-mile maiden event.

Gimme Some Mo wound up four lengths back of Candy Tycoon, who set the pace and took pressure, while it was another 8 3/4 lengths back to third.