Ky. Derby prospects: 24 futures choices go to post Saturday

Most of the 24 Kentucky Derby prospects racing Saturday will be in the points preps at Aqueduct, Tampa Bay Downs and Golden Gate Fields. Eight other betting choices in the Derby futures will be in five other races, including a sprint stakes in New York and a Kentucky Oaks (G1) points prep featuring Eclipse Award winner Wonder Wheel.

Jimmy Winkfield, six furlongs, Aqueduct race 3, Saturday, 1:17 p.m. EST

Clubhouse (5-2 morning line Saturday), 300-1 in the Derby futures at Circa Sports in Las Vegas, went through a pair of turf losses and two more on the dirt before breaking his maiden by 6 1/2 lengths last month going seven furlongs at Aqueduct. The $425,000 Speightstown colt trained by Todd Pletcher will be ridden by John Velázquez, who makes a rare winter start at the Big A.

Kool Kathmandu (7-2), 300-1 at Circa, was a first-time winner going six furlongs last out in the Aqueduct slop. That was eight weeks ago for the Frosted gelding. The track’s leading rider Dylan Davis got the call again from trainer Charlton Baker.

Daydreaming Boy (9-2), 350-1 at Circa, is a maiden winner who finished a distant fourth Jan. 3 in the postponed running of the Parx Juvenile. Trainer Louis Linder, who is 1-for-24 in non-graded stakes, raced the Goldencents colt four times before shipping north from Pennsylvania. Dexter Haddock rides Daydreaming Boy for the second race in a row.

Maiden special weight, six furlongs, Aqueduct race 6, Saturday, 2:49 p.m. EST

Everso Mischievous (5-2), bet from a 100-1 opener down to 50-1 at Circa, makes what has turned into a high-profile debut for owner Sheikh Fahad Al-Thani’s Qatar Racing and trainer Brad Cox as the morning-line favorite in a field of 10. The Into Mischief colt who sold last year for only $85,000 will be ridden by Manny Franco.

Login Required (15-1), 400-1 at Circa, actually finished first in his debut in the Monmouth slop last summer, but he was disqualified for drifting inward in the final furlong. This will be the fourth start for the Race Day colt who gets Lasix for the first time and the addition of blinkers after a troubled, last-place finish eight weeks ago at Aqueduct. Trainer José Camejo makes Abner Adorno the fourth different rider in as many races for Login Required.

Allowance optional claiming, 1 1/16 miles, turf, Gulfstream Park race 9, Saturday, 4:07 p.m. EST

Tumbarumba (6-1), 375-1 at Circa, makes his first start on the turf after going 3: 1-1-1 in dirt sprints. The gelding sired by 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Oscar Performance finished second last out at Fair Grounds as the favorite in the Louisiana Juvenile. That was two months ago. Trainer Brian Lynch takes off the blinkers and called on Joel Rosario to ride Tumbarumba for the first time.

Withers (G3), 1 1/8 miles, Aqueduct race 9, Saturday, 4:27 p.m. EST

Hit Show (9-5), 100-1 at Circa and 100-1 at Caesars, was listed at 60-1 on the morning line for pool 4 of Churchill Downs’ pari-mutuel Kentucky Derby Future Wager. He was scratched out of the Southwest (G3) two weeks ago to target this race that was postponed one week because of frigid weather.

Arctic Arrogance (8-5), 200-1 at Circa, 100-1 at Caesars and 80-1 in the KDFW was written in as the program favorite for the Withers. Jungfrau (4-1), 175-1 at Circa and 100-1 at Caesars; General Banker (8-1), 250-1 at Circa; Prove Right (30-1), 250-1 at Circa; and Andiamo a Firenze (12-1), 275-1 at Circa and 150-1 at Caesars, also were drawn into the field of seven.

Maiden special weight, one mile, Gulfstream Park race 10, Saturday, 4:37 p.m. EST

Case (3-1), 225-1 at Circa, finished second to well-regarded Shesterkin in his seven-furlong debut Dec. 31 at Gulfstream. Of the nine horses in this one-turn, $84,000 race, the $375,000 Sky Mesa colt brings in the highest, last-out Brisnet Speed Rating. Javier Castellano will ride for trainer Jonathan Thomas.

Suncoast, one mile and 40 yards, Tampa Bay Downs race 9, Saturday, 4:48 p.m. EST

Wonder Wheel (1-1), 200-1 at Circa, makes her first start since she won the Eclipse Award for top 2-year-old filly of 2022. The $275,000 by Into Mischief who has two Grade 1 wins already has earned $1,550,725 for owners Leonard and Lois Green. However, she was not among the 369 early nominations announced Tuesday for the Triple Crown. The Greens and trainer Mark Casse still have the option to submit her in time before the late-nomination deadline March 27. In the meantime, Wonder Wheel will have her regular rider Tyler Gaffalione for her 3-year-old debut against eight other fillies this weekend.

Sam F. Davis (G3), 1 1/16 miles, Tampa Bay Downs race 10, Saturday, 5:18 p.m. EST

Litigate (5-1), 100-1 at Circa, 75-1 at Caesars and 50-1 in the KDFW, came back from his debut win in November at Aqueduct with a distant, second-place finish to Cyclone Mischief last month in a one-mile allowance race at Gulfstream Park.

Dubyuhnell (9-5), 100-1 at Caesars, 100-1 at Circa and 30-1 in the KDFW, was made the morning-line favorite to run his winning streak to three. The first two wins came in the slop, including last out Dec. 3 in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.

Classic Legacy (12-1), 110-1 at Caesars and 100-1 at Circa; Prairie Hawk (6-1), 200-1 at Circa; Dreaming of Kona (12-1), 200-1 at Circa; Champions Dream (9-2), 250-1 at Circa and 135-1 at Caesars; and Zydeceaux (20-1), 250-1 at Circa, also were among the 12 horses entered for the Sam F. Davis.

El Camino Real Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Tapeta, Golden Gate Fields race 8, Saturday, 7:45 p.m. EST

Gilmore (4-1), 300-1 at Circa and 110-1 at Caesars; Chase the Chaos (3-1), 350-1 at Circa; and Passarando (2-1), 350-1 at Circa, were part of the eight-horse field for this last of the low-level, 10-4-3-2-1 points preps for the Derby.

These were the next races for Derby futures horses who have been entered on weekend cards. Races are Saturday unless otherwise noted.