Kentucky Derby trail: Opera Ballo wins England prep race

Highly regarded, Charlie Appleby-trained Opera Ballo stalked the early pace set by his stablemate before accelerating in the homestretch for a four-length win Wednesday night in the US$75,873 Conditions Stakes, a points prep at Kempton Park, England, on the Euro-Mideast road to Kentucky Derby 2025.

The one-mile Polytrack race around one right turn drew six 3-year-olds, none of whom was among the early nominees for the U.S. Triple Crown.

An odds-on favorite at post time in U.S. betting, Opera Ballo (4-5) and his jockey William Buick let Olympus Point (14-1) lead the way while staying two wide no more than 1 1/2 lengths back. Molveno (16-1), trained by Marco Botti, tracked the Appleby pair through the turn.

In the homestretch with about 300 yards to go, Opera Ballo took the lead while Olympus Point faded. Hott Shott (29-1) split horses to make a late rally, but he never was a threat to finish any better than a distant second. Saddadd (3-1) closed along the rail and finished another length back in third. Quai De Bethune (2-1) came in fourth, Molveno fifth and Olympus Point last.

On the synthetic course rated standard to slow, Opera Ballo was clocked at 1:38.16 without a run-up. He paid $3.60 and $2.20 in two-way mutuels. Hott Shott returned $17.20. Because of the small field, there was no third-place payout.

A Ghaiyyath colt bred in Ireland and bought by Godolphin for US$630,000, Opera Ballo is 2-for-2 after having won his debut over the same mile course Jan. 25.

The top five finishers Wednesday earned 20-10-6-4-2 points on the Kentucky Derby’s Euro-Mideast trail, which carries one invitation to the May 3 run for the roses. Opera Ballo moved into a tie for first with Hotazhell at the top of that leaderboard with Wednesday’s win, but none of the horses earning points in the qualifying series has been nominated for the Triple Crown.

The Patton Stakes on March 7 at Dundalk, Ireland, also is a 20-10-6-4-2 points race. The April 5 UAE Derby (G2), which was moved to the Euro-Mideast trail this year, is worth 100-50-25-15-10 points and is expected to be the race that sends a horse to the Kentucky Derby.