Weekend Watch: 2018 Kentucky Derby and Oaks preps, oh my!
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The Road to the 2018 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks continues to heat up this weekend with preps for both major races in the spotlight. While a few big names from the crop haven't returned to the races, plenty of talented contenders will be on display.
Also in store is the debut of a dual champion’s first foal, which is where we start with the Weekend Watch.
Tapability running on the Lecomte undercard
Two-time Eclipse Award Champion Female Sprinter Groupie Doll’s first foal, a colt named Tapability, by Tapit, will debut for trainer Buff Bradley on Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course in Race 3, a six-furlong event. Bradley and his late father, Fred, bred the champion mare and campaigned her with partners. Following her second consecutive Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint win, Mandy Pope purchased Groupie Doll for $3.1 million. Rather than retire her immediately, Pope raced Groupie Doll twice more while leaving her in the care of her former owner and trainer. She then sent Tapability, who will race in Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm colors, to Bradley. The trainer has been quoted as saying that Tapability is a lot like Groupie Doll in terms of aggressiveness on the track.
Principe Guilherme headlines the Grade 3 Lecomte
Impressive allowance winner Principe Guilherme was tabbed the 5-2 morning line favorite for Fair Grounds' Lecomte. Undefeated in two starts, the colt was a convincing 6 ¼-length maiden winner at Churchill Downs. He then blitzed an allowance field by 11 ¾ lengths at Fair Grounds going the LeComte distance in his most recent start.
Instilled Regard, who was part of the photo finish and bumped up to second
As a Road to the Kentucky Derby race, the LeComte will offer a total of 17 points, distributed to the top 4 runners on a 10-4-2-1 basis.
Casse sends out two in the Silverbulletday
With Wonder Gadot going in the Silverbulletday -- she was cross-entered in the Lecomte -- trainer Mark Casse will have two shots at winning the race, as he will also be sending out Heavenly Love. The Malibu Moon filly won the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades before finishing a disappointing 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Wonder Gadot will be the likely favorite off her Grade 2 Demoiselle victory, but Heavenly Love be highly considered. However, Blonde Bomber, a listed stakes winner turned third-place Juvenile Fillies finisher, could have a say in the outcome. America’s Tale may also be a contender. It took her five tries to break her maiden, but she has since reeled off two straight.
The Silverbulletday is a Road to the Kentucky Oaks points race.
Firenze Fire continues down Derby trail in the Jerome
Firenze Fire's looking to accrue more points toward a start in the Kentucky Derby when he faces seven rivals in the rescheduled Jerome Stakes on Saturday. The race offers 10, 4, 2, and 1 point(s) for the top 4 finishers of the race. The Poseidon’s Warrior colt already has 10 points by virtue of his victory in the Grade 1 Champagne and looks to rebound off a disappointing seventh-place run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Oaklawn opens its 2018 meet
Oaklawn Park commences its 2018 meet on Friday. While there is nothing huge on either the Friday or Saturday card, there are a pair of stakes races for older runners. Friday’s race is the Fifth Season Stakes for older males. Among the field for the 8.5-furlong race are Grade 3 winners Far Right, Sticksstatelydude and Shotgun Kowboy. Meanwhile, Saturday’s Pippin Stakes for older fillies and mares reads a lot like several years’ worth of Kentucky Oaks preps all in one. Facing off in the 8.5-furlong event are Terra Promessa, Farrell, Streamline and Ever So Clever.
Smarty Jones draws small but competitive field
As the third of the weekend’s Kentucky Derby preps -- and the only one to be run on Monday -- the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park drew a field of just seven. Mourinho, who scratched out of last weekend’s Grade 3 Sham Stakes, ships East and could be the favorite. However, trainer Steve Asmussen sends out two talented Scat Daddy colts for Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing. Combatant was most recently second in the Springboard Mile behind the now-injured Greyvitos. Tap Daddy returns to the dirt after winning on turf last out. Prior to that, he was second in the Bourbon when it was moved from turf to dirt. Another interesting entrant is Navistar, who ran second to Mucho Macho Man Stakes winner Mask in his debut. He then broke his maiden in his second outing.
Like the Jerome and LeComte, the Smarty Jones offers points towards the Kentucky Derby on a 10-4-2-1 basis to the top 4 finishers.
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