Takeaways from this week on the Kentucky Derby 2020 trail

For the first time since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, qualifying points toward the 2020 Kentucky Derby will be up for grabs Saturday when Churchill Downs hosts the Grade 2, $300,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes.

And might we leave the weekend with a new betting favorite? Here’s a rundown from the latest on the Derby trail…

Tiz the Law can rule

The 2-for-2 New York-bred son of Constitution sits at 20-1 on Mike Battaglia’s morning line for Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which runs Thursday through Sunday. But should Tiz the Law score an authoritative victory under the Twin Spires on Saturday, he could very well emerge as the individual betting favorite.

Before the Kentucky Jockey Club, the Sackatoga Stable runner debuted as an easy Saratoga winner over state-bred company, then rolled in Belmont Park’s Champagne Stakes (G1) around one turn. Connections aren’t worried about distance limitations, holding him out of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to focus on the Derby trail.

Jack Knowlton, managing partner for Sackatoga, said the decision harkens back to a similar choice trainer Barclay Tagg made with Funny Cide, the eventual 2003 Derby winner.

“His attitude is if you really want a nice 3-year-old you don’t do too much with them as a 2-year-old,” Knowlton said of Tagg. “The decision really was about us wanting to do everything we can to get to Churchill the first Saturday in May.”

Tiz the Law got his first footing Wednesday over the Churchill Downs dirt, with all reported to be good. He’ll break from post No. 3 in a field of nine.

As for the Future Wager, Juvenile winner Storm the Court (12-1) and Nashua Stakes hero Independence Hall (12-1) lead individuals on the morning line. The No. 24 interest for “All Other 3-Year-Old Colts and Geldings” not in the Future Wager is 6-5 on the line and expected to take overall favoritism in this first round of pari-mutuel betting.

Tiz the Law, Independence Hall and Grade 1-place Gouverneur Morris are among the sons of first-crop sire Constitution considered to be serious Derby prospects. Another emerged last Saturday at Del Mar when Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Ancient Warrior shook off race favorite Garth at Del Mar, then went on to stop the clock in 1:09.72 for six furlongs.

Where he shows up next is unknown, particularly due to Hollendorfer’s ongoing ban from training and racing at The Stronach Group’s facilities. He could presumably appear in Santa Anita Park’s Jan. 4 Sham Stakes (G3) if entered under the name of Hollendorfer’s assistant, Dan Ward.

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A look at the odds

Via VSiN’s Ron Flatter, based in Las Vegas, the full list including prices for the recently set Future Wager morning line…

The biggest news arriving this week is that of the Bob Baffert-trained Thousand Words, a debut Santa Anita winner, remaining in California. He had the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes as an option but now figures to face a stablemate, and maybe two, in the Dec. 7 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2).

A few probables:

The Daily Racing Form’s Mary Rampellini reported, meanwhile, that the nominations deadline for the Dec. 15 Springboard Mile will be extended a week to Dec. 7, past the date when the track is expected to see its EHV-1 quarantine restrictions lifted.

Some early names to know:

Current Derby points leaderboard