Horses to Watch: See early Derby, Oaks contenders in action

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Copper Em

After finishing a game second in the 6 1/2-furlong Untapable on turf at Kentucky Downs, Copper Em will switch to dirt for Friday’s ninth race at Keeneland, the six-furlong Myrtlewood, with post time of 5:16 p.m. EDT. It’s worth noting Copper Em debuted on dirt at Ellis Park and led all the way to beat a next-out winner by 4 1/4 lengths, so returning to dirt shouldn’t be problematic for this Steve Asmussen trainee. She’s eligible to outrun her 6-1 morning line odds.

Durante

Less than two weeks after finishing second by a head in a six-furlong $80,000 allowance optional claimer at Belmont at the Big A, Durante will return to the same track and distance for Friday’s eighth race at Belmont at the Big A, the Bold Ruler (G3), with post time 4:22 p.m. EDT. Dueling through quick fractions probably didn’t help Durante last time out, so a little different setup can help him rebound. Prior to that narrow defeat, Durante had won four straight races by daylight margins.

Gettysburg Address

Gettysburg Address showed some determination when debuting in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Ellis Park, battling down the homestretch to prevail by three-quarters of a length. Brisnet statistics indicate trainer Brad Cox wins at a 28 percent rate with horses running long for the first time, and Gettysburg Address is bred to shine racing 1 1/16 miles, so stretching out over that distance for Sunday’s 10th race at Churchill Downs, the Street Sense (G3), with post time 5:35 p.m. EDT, can trigger improvement.

Moonlight

The morning line favorite to win the Street Sense is Moonlight, a Todd Pletcher trainee who finished second in his debut on turf, beaten a neck by future Grade 1 winner Carson’s Run. He then switched to dirt and dominated a one-mile maiden special weight at Aqueduct by eight lengths. Moonlight posted a flashy 92 Brisnet speed rating in his maiden victory and has every chance to win right back in the Street Sense.

Royal Slipper

Royal Slipper was much the best in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland last month, leading by daylight at every call to win by 4 3/4 lengths with a flashy 93 Brisnet Speed rating. None of the other 2-year-old fillies entered in Saturday’s 10th race at Keeneland, the Bowman Mill (post time 3:40 p.m.) have posted a higher Brisnet speed rating, so from that perspective Royal Slipper has to be viewed as the runner to beat for hot trainer Wesley Ward.

V V’s Dream

Pocahontas (G3) winner and Alcibiades (G1) runner-up V V’s Dream is pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, but there’s a chance she could pass on the Breeders’ Cup and instead contest Sunday’s eighth race at Churchill Downs, the Rags to Riches (post time 4:33 p.m.). The $200,000 Rags to Riches purse is one-tenth of the $2 million up for grabs in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, but the Rags to Riches is shaping up as a much easier race and V V’s Dream will be heavily favored if she starts.

Which horses do you have your eyes on?

In this biweekly series, racing analyst Keeler Johnson shares promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future.