Kentucky Derby Preps Success

Looking at this year’s favorites, Kentucky Derby 2017 continues to pull from the country’s top prep races. The Florida Derby and the Arkansas Derby have garnered the most attention this year and they remain as the latest and greatest preps.

The Florida Derby, which has produced seven Kentucky Derby winners in the last 25 years, has been dealt a strong hand again this year. The prep race’s five-length winner Always Dreaming is one of the favorites for this year’s Kentucky Derby, and could be the biggest threat to 2016 Juvenile Champion Classic Empire. Runner-up State of Honor and third place finisher Gunnevera are also at Churchill Downs prepping for the big event on May 6.

In the same time frame, the Arkansas Derby has seen five of its contenders go on to win the Kentucky Derby. 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh certainly boosted the race’s reputation even more when he won his final prep there. This year, Classic Empire came into the race off a loss in the Holy Bull, but found redemption in Arkansas.

California has sent Kentucky Derby favorites from the West Coast the past few years, but this year’s contenders don’t seem to be as highly regarded as the previous ones. Six Santa Anita Derby contenders have shipped across the country to capture the roses, and this year’s winner Gormley may be California’s best chance, following the defection of Mastery, after a big win in the San Felipe, another prep to roll out five Kentucky Derby winners.

Wood Memorial winner Irish War Cry carries hopes of being the first Kentucky Derby winner out of the prep race since 2003. In the 25-year span, there have been four Wood Memorial contenders to win the Kentucky Derby, but the race is seeking to regain its foothold as one of the top prep races.

The Fountain of Youth and Blue Grass Stakes both have sent three horses on to win the Run for the Roses in the last 25 years. Gunnevera won the Fountain of Youth by 5 ¾ lengths over Practical Joke, while Irap held off Practical Joke in the Blue Grass. McCraken, third in the Blue Grass, is also a strong contender for May 6.

If Girvin remains on track for the Kentucky Derby, he will be Louisiana’s hope to boost their Derby prep races. The Louisiana Derby has produced two Kentucky Derby winners the past two and a half decades, and the Risen Star has produced one. Girvin was the winner of both events this year, and Louisiana Derby runner-up Patch is also Kentucky Derby bound.

The Tampa Bay Derby also only has two winners. Tapwrit and State of Honor ran one-two this year, with State of Honor going on to the Florida Derby and Tapwrit running a puzzling fifth in the Blue Grass.

By Christine Oser