Noble's Promise

Chasing Dreams Racing 2008’s favored Noble’s Promise, the fifth-place finisher behind Super Saver in the 2010 Kentucky Derby, returned to Churchill Downs on Saturday and wore down Atta Boy Roy in the stretch to score a one-length victory in the star-studded 23^rd running of the $110,300 Grade III Aristides Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs.

            The victory by Noble’s Promise completed a memorable day for trainer Ken McPeek, who swept Saturday’s pair of featured Grade III races at the home of the Kentucky Derby.  McPeek also saddled Salty Strike to win the $109,300 Dogwood Stakes for 3-year-old fillies earlier in the day.

            Noble’s Promise, one of three Grade I stakes winners in the eight-horse field for the Aristides, rallied from fourth under jockey Alan Garcia and paid $5.20, $3.60 and $2.40.  Atta Boy Roy, the Aristides runner-up for the second consecutive year, led most of the way under Jesus Castanon before giving way in the final yards and returned mutuels of $11.00 and $5.40.  Capt. Candyman Can, who broke slowly under Calvin Borel, rallied in the stretch to finish a clear third and paid $2.40 to show.

            The winner scored his first graded stakes victory since a win in Keeneland’s Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity in October of 2009.  He had won last fall’s $85,000 Jimmy V Stakes during Breeders’ Cup Weekend at Churchill Downs.  In his previous start, Noble’s Promise had finished a close fifth to Aikenite in his first start of the year in the Grade II Churchill Downs Stakes on Kentucky Derby Day.

            The Aristides victory improved the career record of Noble’s Promise to 5-3-1 in 14 races and made the son of Cuvee racing’s latest millionaire.  The winner’s prize of $66,336 pushed his career earnings to $1,027,774.  The Aristides victory was the second for McPeek, who won the race in 2009 with Bold Start.  The winner covered six furlongs over a fast track in 1:08.74.

            “It’s always fun to win two stakes in one day,” McPeek said.  “He’s a nice horse and now he’s a millionaire. There were some other nice horses in the race, but I thought they would have a tough time beating him today.”

            Noble’s Promise joined third-place finisher Capt. Candyman Can and Here Comes Ben, who finished sixth, as Grade I stakes winners in the strong Aristides field.  The field also included the 1-2-3 finishers in the 2010 Aristides in Riley Tucker, Atta Boy Roy (who also won the Grade II Churchill Downs over the track in 2010) and Cash Refund.  Hurricane Ike won the Grade III The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial in 2010.

            Cash Refund blew out of the starting gate to take the early lead in the Aristides, but was joined after the opening quarter by Atta Boy Roy, who had the lead at the half-mile in a swift :44.46, and Noble’s Promise moved under Garcia to join the leading duo.  Capt. Candyman Can, Here Comes Ben, and Riley Tucker all broke slowly, with the former making the steadiest progress of that trio as the battle continued on the front end.  Atta Boy Roy and Castanon pushed clear of Noble’s Promise and Cash Refund at the top the stretch, but Garcia sent the eventual winner after the leader and Capt. Candyman Can launched a bid on the far outside.  The top pair battled through the latter part of the stretch before the stubborn Atta Boy Roy gave way late and Noble’s Promise pushed clear.  

            Good Lord, the second longest shot in the field at 34-1, hopped at the start but rallied to finish fourth, three lengths behind Capt. Candyman Can.  He was followed past the finish by Riley Tucker, Here Comes Ben, Hurricane Ike and early pacesetter Cash Refund.          

ARISTIDES POST-RACE QUOTES

Alan Garcia, jockey on Noble’s Promise (winner)

“It was a very good trip for me and my horse. I was able to keep him relaxed behind the leaders in third. Finally I asked him at the top of the stretch and he ran very well. I had plenty of confidence in my horse and I knew he was going to win. It was definitely worth the trip (to Churchill Downs).”

Ken McPeek, trainer of Noble’s Promise (winner)

“I felt like he (Noble’s Promise) could improve three or four lengths off his last race. That race (the Churchill Downs (GII)) was a tough one coming off a layoff so we backed off him since then. He’s a nice horse and now he’s a millionaire. There were some other nice horses in the race, but I thought they would have a tough time beating him today.”

            “I think we did a good job of trying to stretch him out for the Triple Crown last year. He only got beat six lengths in the (Kentucky) Derby (GI), but we were really stretching him out as far as he could go and he didn’t embarrass us, but running that far wasn’t his game. I think he’s found his niche with sprinting. I’d love to run him in the Vanderbilt (GI on Aug. 7) and the Forego (GI on Sept. 3) at Saratoga and then bring him back here in the fall for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.”

On winning both stakes on the card:

“It’s always fun to win two stakes in one day.”

Valorie Lund, trainer of Atta Boy Roy (runner-up)

“He ran really well.  If we didn’t have to hook that other horse the result might have been different, but somebody’s got to go after Cash Refund.  You can’t leave him alone on the lead.” 

Q: Are you thinking fall and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint again with this horse?

“That’s what I’m thinking.  We’ll have to take it step-by-step, but that would be what I’m thinking because I think he’s every bit as good this year as last.  We’ll just go on through the season and battle through the summer.”

Q: What were you thinking at the head of the stretch?

“I thought he might hold him (Noble’s Promise) off.  I could see that horse coming and I’m thinking, ‘We’ve already done an awful lot of work up here.’  He almost held on.  Jesus said he was so incredibly game and a classy horse – and, of course, I like to hear that.”

Q: But you knew that …

“Oh yes, I knew it.  But I still like to hear it.  I’m like a proud mother.”

Q: Will he stay here or will you ship back to Canterbury?

“We’ll go back to Canterbury and train over that surface.  It’s a real kind surface, plus he swims.  So they’ve got a pool there.  They’ve got a kind surface and I like it – it’s nice and deep, so he gets a lot out of it.  It’s a great surface to train on, so I’ll train him there and ship.”

Jesus Castanon, jockey on Atta Boy Roy (runner-up)

“He ran big and he gave a good kick.  He was doing it easy and when I got to the quarter-pole I let him pick it up and he really gave me a nice kick, but we just got beat.   When the other horse (winner Noble’s Promise) came to me with about 70 yards to go, my horse was trying so hard to keep up with that one.”

Ian Wilkes, trainer of Capt. Candyman Can (third)

“He ran good.  He broke a little bad today.  He stood in the gate a long time.  You can’t break that bad.  You have to be able to jump and run.”

Q: You had a little hope at the head of the stretch …

“He used himself to get into position.  He ran good.  You can’t complain.  He brings his ‘A’ game.”

Calvin Borel, jockey on Capt. Candyman Can (third)

“He didn’t break that good and I was kind of disgusted with that, but he showed up and he tries hard.  I thought I might get ‘em at the head of the stretch, but he kind of faltered there.  But he tried.  These are good horses.”

ACK ACK WINNER APART RETURNS TO KEENELAND; CLARK BID POSSIBLE – Adele Dilschneider’s Apart, a three-quarter length winner of Friday’s $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap (GIII), settled back into his home base at Keeneland on Sunday with a return trip to Churchill Downs possible at the end of the month.

“The (GI) Clark (Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare on Nov. 26); maybe,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said. “He’s going back to Keeneland and I’ll talk it over with his owner.”

Stall won the Clark last year with Blame and Apart, a workmate for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) winner earlier in the year, has followed almost an identical path in his 3-year-old year.

“He is with Blame on the calendar,” Stall said of Apart, who had won the Super Derby (GII) in the race before the Ack Ack, a race Blame had run second in in 2009. “We thought dirt was Apart’s best surface and he was not proven on Polytrack.”

Blame went from the Super Derby last year to a victory in the Fayette (GII) at Keeneland over Polytrack, while Apart came to the Ack Ack over the Oct. 30 Fayette.

“We had our eye on Charlie Lopresti’s horse (Successful Dan, who was stabled two barns away in the Rice Road stable area at Keeneland) and he ran like we thought he would in the Fayette,” Stall said. “We have a lot of respect for his horse.”

Nominations for the Clark close Wednesday and Successful Dan likely will be listed among the nominees. Another likely nominee is the Amerman Racing Stables’ Demarcation, who finished second in the Ack Ack.

“The Clark is possible,” trainer Paul McGee said of Demarcation, who ran eighth behind Blame in last year’s race. “Let’s say he will be nominated.”

MALIBU AT SANTA ANITA MAY BE NEXT FOR NOBLE’S PROMISE – Chasing Dreams Racing 2008’s Noble’s Promise made his return to the races a successful one on Friday when he scored a 2 ¼-length victory in the Jimmy V. “Don’t Give Up … Don’t Ever Give Up!” overnight stake at six furlongs.

It was the colt’s first victory since the Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland in 2009 and first in a sprint since September 2009.

The (Grade I) Malibu (on Dec. 26) going seven-eighths at Santa Anita would be a great race for him,” trainer Ken McPeek said. “And, we may look at some races in Hong Kong and Japan. But I will probably keep him at seven-eighths.”

Following his victory in the Breeders’ Futurity, Noble’s Promise closed out 2009 with a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) and a runner-up effort behind Lookin At Lucky in the CashCall Futurity (GI). This year, the colt was second in the Rebel (GII), fifth in the Arkansas Derby (GI), fifth to WinStar Farm’s Super Saver in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and fifth in the Group I St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“I think he did well to go as far as he did this year,” McPeek said of Noble’s Promise, a son of Cuvee out of a Clever Trick mare. “He is a talented, fast horse, but he is bred for shorter distances.”

CHILUKKI WINNER DISTINCTIVE DIXIE COULD RETURN IN FALLS CITY – A little layoff turned out to be a good thing for the Robert and Beverly Lewis Trust’s  Distinctive Dixie, who came off a four-month break to win Saturday’s Chilukki (GII) for her first graded stakes victory.

“After the Indiana race (the Shelby County Arts Handicap on July 7 at Indiana Downs), we gave her a break because she had run so hard here against Rachel Alexandra,” said Aimee Dollase, assistant to her father Wally, referring to Churchill Downs’ mid-June Fleur De Lis (GII) in which Distinctive Dixie ran second to the 2009 Horse of the Year.

“It was more mental than anything. After the break, she has been a totally different horse. She is a filly that gives you everything she has and wants to do too much. Now she is more relaxed and does things within herself.”

Dollase said the $150,000-added Falls City Handicap (GII) is a possibility for Distinctive Dixie, who owns a 6-3-1-0 mark over the track.

“She loves this track and you may as well strike while the iron is hot,” Dollase said. “The plan now is to run her next year as a 6-year-old.”

Three horses have completed a Chilukki-Falls City double with the most recent being Halory Leigh in 2004.

BARN TALK – Harvey Clark and Andrew Albstein’s Yankee Fourtune, wire-to-wire winner of the Hawthorne Derby (GIII) as the even-money favorite in his most recent start, headlines a list of 39 nominees for the seventh running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII) to be run Saturday at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course. Trained Kiaran McLaughlin, Yankee Fourtune is undefeated in four starts on the grass. Entries for the Commonwealth Turf will be taken Wednesday. Get Stormy won the 2009 renewal of the Commonwealth Turf. …

Augustin Stable’s Fugitive Angel, winner of four consecutive starts that include a score in the Valley View (GIII) at Keeneland, heads a list of 36 3-year-old fillies nominated to the 20th running of the $175,000-added Mrs. Revere (GII) to be run at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course on Nov. 20. Mary’s Follies won last year’s Mrs. Revere. …

Trainer David Fawkes, who earned his first Breeders’ Cup victory when Big Drama won the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) on Saturday, said he may return to Churchill Downs before the end of the meet with Duke of Mischief for the Clark Handicap. Fawkes said that Duke of Mischief, who finished eighth behind Blame in the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) this summer, has been nominated to the Clark. …

Drew Coontz, assistant to trainer Chris Block, said that Askbut I Won’ttell came out of her Sunday victory in the Cardinal Handicap (GIII) in good order. Block is keeping a small string of horses at Churchill Downs and one who is staying here is Giant Oak, who was placed fourth in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Marathon (GIII). “He is going to go the track in tomorrow morning to train,” Coontz said. “I am not sure what their plans are for him.” Giant Oak ran fourth to Blame in last year’s Clark Handicap. …

Robby Albarado, who has ridden 10 winners through the first six days of the 21-day fall meet, is three wins away from joining the 900-win club at Churchill Downs. Albarado, who has one leading rider title here (Spring 2008), could pass Larry Melancon (914) for fourth all-time beneath the Twin Spires at his current pace. …

In addition to the $500,000-added Clark Handicap and the Falls City Handicap, nominations close Wednesday for two other final week stakes: the centerpieces of the Nov. 27 “Stars of Tomorrow II” card for 2-year-olds, the $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII) for fillies and the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (GII).

Adele Dilschneider’s Apart, winner of the Super Derby (GII) at Louisiana Downs in his most recent start, heads a field of six 3-year-olds and up entered Tuesday for the 18th running of the $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap (GIII) to be run Friday on the Breeders’ Cup World Championships undercard at Churchill Downs.

The Ack Ack, at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, will go as the fourth race on Friday’s 10-race card and serve as the lead-in to six Breeders’ Cup World Championship races on the first day of the two-day championships.. First post time Friday is 2 p.m. (all times Eastern) with the Ack Ack scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Trained by Al Stall, Jr., the 3-year-old Apart broke his maiden at Churchill Downs in his second start, but followed that victory with a pair of allowance wins at the Louisville track.  A late summer break was followed by a victory in the Prelude at Louisiana Downs, the track’s major prep for the Super Derby, and the colt brings a two-race winning streak into the Ack Ack.  Apart, who will break from post position one, will carry 117 pounds and be ridden by Garrett Gomez.

Apart, the 2-1 morning line favorite for the Ack Ack, shares the top weight in the race with Amerman Racing Stable’s defending Ack Ack champion Demarcation. Trained by Paul McGee, Demarcation was fifth in Churchill Downs’ Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap in his most recent start.  Calvin Borel has the mount on Demarcation, the 5-2 second choice who will break from post position four.

Another major player in the Ack Ack is Robert LaPenta and Fred Brei’s Jackson Bend, the third-place finisher in the Preakness (GI), runner-up in the Wood Memorial (GI) and 12th to Super Saver in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).  The Nick Zito trainee, a beaten favorite in the Pegasus (GIII) at the Meadowlands and the Star of Cozzene at Belmont Park in his last two starts, is the 4-1 third choice in the Ack Ack and will be ridden by Javier Castellano.

The field for the Ack Ack, from the rail out, is as follows: Apart (Gomez, 117 pounds), Stream Cat (James Graham, 113), Silver Edition (Mike Smith, 114), Demarcation (Borel, 117), Colizeo (Ramon Dominguez, 115) and Jackson Bend (Castellano, 115).

Tne race prior to the Ack Ack, with a 3 p.m. post time, is the $85,000-added The Jimmy V “Don’t Give Up … Don’t Ever Give Up!” overnight stakes race for 3-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track.  The Jimmy V drew a field of nine and features the return of Noble’s Promise.

Owned by Chasing Dreams Racing 2008, Noble’s Promise has not run since finishing fifth in the St. James’s Palace Stakes (GI) at Britain’s Royal Ascot meet in June that followed a fifth-place finish to Super Saver in the Kentucky Derby.  Trained by Ken McPeek, Noble’s Promise won the Grade I Breeders’ Futurity last fall at Keeneland and is graded stakes-placed in three other races.

Julien Leparoux has the mount on Noble’s Promise, who will break from post position nine. The son of Cuvee, trained by Ken McPeek, is the 9-2 third choice in the Jimmy V morning line.

The 3-1 favorite for the Jimmy V is Robert and Lawana and Winmore LLC’s Cool Bullet, runner-up to Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile contender Thiskyhasnolimit in the Matt Winn at Churchill Downs in May and winner of the $100,000 Rumson at Monmouth Park. He is racing for the first time since July 4 when he finished last of six to Discreetly Mine in Monmouth’s Jersey Shore (GIII).

Shawn Bridgmohan will ride Cool Bullet for trainer Steve Margolis.

Also expected to attract fan support is Patti and Hal Earnhart’s Bulldogger, a son of Dixie Union with two wins in four starts for trainer Bob Baffert.  Bulldogger, the 4-1 second choice, is coming off a sixth-place finish to Discreetly Mine in the Aug. 28 King’s Bishop (GI) at Saratoga.  Martin Garcia will ride Bulldogger.

Noble’s Promise is one of two veterans of the 2010 Kentucky Derby in the Jimmy V field.  Gold Mark Farm’s Backtalk, a Tom Amoss trainee who finished last of 20 in the Derby field, finished second in a Remington Park allowance race in his most recent start.  Rafael Bejarano will ride the son of Smarty Jones, who is a 6-1 risk in the morning line.

The field for the Jimmy V, from the rail out, is as follows: Backtrack (James Graham), Cool Bullet (Shaun Bridgmohan), Don’t Put It Back (Larry Sterling Jr.), Don Tito (Joel Rosario), Latigo Shore (John Velazquez), Backtalk (Rafael Bejarano), Bulldogger (Martin Garcia), Close to the Edge (Ramon Dominguez) and Noble’s Promise (Leparoux). All starters will carry 116 pounds.

CHAMPION RACHEL ALEXANDRA TAKES IT EASY ON MUGGY MORNING AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra returned to serious training after her 10 ½-length romp in the $200,000-added Fleur de Lis (Grade II) on June 12 with an easy half-mile work on a muggy Monday at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Steve Asmussen’s 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro breezed four furlongs over a fast track in :51.20.  Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan was in the saddle as Rachel Alexandra covered the distance in fractional splits of :12.40 and :25.20 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:05.20.

"She went fine,” said Asmussen.  “It’s a ridiculously hot morning, you know?  That’s a big concern.  It’s time to get out and go north.”

Asmussen had planned to ship Rachel Alexandra to New York’s Saratoga Race Course on July 5, the day after the 42-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs closes.   But as an unusually warm spring in the Louisville area turns the page to summer today, he is considering moving travel plans up a few days for Rachel Alexandra and other members of his Churchill Downs stable.

It was a humid 81 degrees when Rachel Alexandra breezed around 6:30 a.m. (all times EDT) and conditions were so humid that camera lenses immediately fogged up when lens caps were removed by photographers hoping to record the champion’s work.

“I think we’ve got to get out of this weather,” he said.  “The flag’s stuck to the pole today.”
Asmussen was concerned in the days after her victory on a hot afternoon in the Fleur De Lis that there might be some residual effect from her big effort in those conditions, but he said she appeared fine when she returned to training in the middle of last week.

“She acts like the rest of us do right now – it’s hot,” he said.  “Her weight’s good and she’s very sound, and her strength is good.  But it’s hot.  We’d all feel better if it was about 20 degrees cooler.”

Owned by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Farm and Harold McCormick, Rachel Alexandra’s has a career record of 12-4-0 in 17 races and has earned $3,216,730.  The Fleur de Lis victory was her first in three starts in 2010.

BARN TALK – Trainer Ken McPeek returned to the blast furnace that was Kentucky on Sunday night after 2 ½ weeks in England where he ran three horses at the Royal Ascot meet. “It was in the 60s over there and it was great for the horses,” McPeek said. “All three horses are doing well and will fly to New York on Wednesday.” Headlining the trio was fifth-place Kentucky Derby (GI) finisher Noble’s Promise, who ran fifth in the St. James’s Palace Stakes (GI) at a mile. McPeek’s other runners, both 2-year-olds, finished third: Tiz My Time in the six-furlong Group III Albany Stakes and Casper’s Touch in the Chasham Stakes at seven furlongs. First up on McPeek’s docket at Churchill Downs is Saturday’s Debutante Stakes (GIII), in which the trainer will seek his first victory in the race with Salty Strike. “She is a real nice filly and Calvin (Borel) will ride her,” McPeek said of the homebred filly owned by Craig Singer. Salty Strike broke her maiden in her first start on May 14, winning by 4 ¼ lengths in one of the faster five-furlong sprints of the meet (:57.79).  The two fillies right behind her that day, Blue Orleans and Le Mi Geaux, came back to break their maidens in their next starts. …

Trainer Tom Amoss said that plans are indefinite for Backtalk, who ran third Saturday night in the $400,000 Red Legend at Charles Town in his first start since finishing 20th in the Kentucky Derby. “He came out of the race fine and he is back here,” Amoss said. “The horse that won (Comedero) is a good horse and we knew that going in. We just took a chance.” …

Ready’s Rocket, one of only seven horses since 1976 to win eight times at Churchill Downs, gets his shot at No. 9 on Friday in the second race, a seven-furlong starter/allowance test.

WORK TAB – Hull, winner of the 2009 Derby Trial, worked a half-mile in :47.20 over a fast track, best of 54 at the distance. … Eight Belles (GIII) runner-up Visavis covered the same distance in :47.40, which ranked as the second-fastest half-mile work. … Other half-mile works of notes included Matt Winn winner Thiskyhasnolimit (:49), Aristides (GIII) winner Riley Tucker (:49.80), fifth-place Belmont Stakes (GI) runner Stay Put (:51.20) and four-time Churchill Downs stakes winner Acoma (:51.80). Grade I winner Hot Dixie Chick worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 and 2009 Jim Dandy (GII) winner Kensei worked six furlongs in 1:14.60.

Assuming those already firmly positioned within the Top 20 Graded Stakes Earnings list perform well in prep races on April 3, 10 and 17 and exit those races in good order, it’s conceivable that it could take as much as $200,000 in graded stakes earnings to crack the Kentucky Derby 136 field on the first Saturday in May.

After all, there’s still plenty of money to be earned in the $750,000 Wood Memorial (April 3), $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (April 3), $500,000 Illinois Derby (April 3), $1 million Arkansas Derby (April 10), $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (April 10) and $300,000 Coolmore Lexington (April 17). Last ditch efforts could also be made in the $200,000 The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (April 24) at Churchill Downs or the $150,000 Withers (April 24).

The Kentucky Derby has been restricted to 20 starters since 1975, and the current system to determine the field by highest graded stakes earnings has been in place since 1986. The “bubble” to get in has varied year to year. Last year, it took only $55,500 for Nowhere to Hide to complete the 20-horse field. Two years ago, the last horse in was Denis of Cork who had $165,000 – the highest total ever for the last spot in the field.

As of April 1, this year’s Top 20, which is based on known intentions or a consideration to run in the Kentucky Derby, looks like this:

1. Lookin At Lucky ($1,390,000) – April 3 Santa Anita Derby (trained by Bob Baffert)
2. Noble’s Promise ($708,000) – April 10 Arkansas Derby (Ken McPeek)
3. Rule ($645,000) – May 1 Kentucky Derby (Todd Pletcher)
4. Mission Impazible ($473,434) – May 1 Kentucky Derby (Todd Pletcher)
5. Ice Box ($457,500) – May 1 Kentucky Derby (Nick Zito)
6. Endorsement ($400,000) – May 1 Kentucky Derby (Shannon Ritter)
7. Conveyance ($386,000) – May 1 Kentucky Derby (Bob Baffert)
8. Discreetly Mine ($340,000) – May 1 Kentucky Derby (Todd Pletcher)
9. Dean’s Kitten ($326,475) – May 1 Kentucky Derby (Mike Maker)
10. Dublin ($273,208) – April 10 Arkansas Derby (D. Wayne Lukas)
11. Interactif ($270,450) – April 10 Toyota Blue Grass (Todd Pletcher)
12. Homeboykris ($250,500) – May 1 Kentucky Derby (Rick Dutrow Jr.)
13. Aikenite ($218,000) – April 10 Toyota Blue Grass (Todd Pletcher)
14. Make Music for Me ($215,000) – April 10 Toyota Blue Grass (Alexis Barba)
15. Awesome Act ($210,000) – April 3 Wood Memorial (Jeremy Noseda)
16. Uh Oh Bango ($187,952) – April 10 Arkansas Derby (Kory Owens)
17. A Little Warm ($180,000) – May 1 Kentucky Derby (Tony Dutrow)
18. Odysseus ($180,000) – April 10 Toyota Blue Grass (Tom Albertrani)
19. Sidney’s Candy ($180,000) – April 3 Santa Anita Derby (John Sadler)
20. Backtalk ($172,566) – April 3 Illinois Derby (Tom Amoss)

Rule, Mission Impazible, Ice Box, Endorsement, Conveyance, Discreetly Mine, Dean’s Kitten, Homeboykris and A Little Warm won’t have another Derby prep race. On March 28, A Little Warm’s trainer Tony Dutrow told Daily Racing Form that if it was left up to him, he would not go to the Derby, which could open another spot. Also, final decisions on Conveyance and Interactif might not be made until their trainers – Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher, respectively – watch their horses train over the Churchill Downs main track.

Who’s Out?

Fillies She Be Wild ($1,272,100), Blind Luck ($861,150), Devil May Care ($364,000) and Crisp ($225,000) appear more likely for the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks on Friday, April 30, although trainer Todd Pletcher said last weekend that the connections of Bonnie Miss winner Devil May Care haven’t entirely ruled out the Derby just yet.
Godolphin’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Vale of York-IRE ($1,114,784) has been sidelined by colic and UAE Derby third Mendip ($200,000) appears likely to remain overseas, along with Coolmore’s Beethoven-IRE ($342,616).
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. has said that D’ Funnybone ($420,000) “will not run in the Derby” but could be aimed at the Preakness. Also, his Radiohead-GB ($196,332) appears more likely for the Grade II, $175,000 American Turf at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Oaks Day. In mid-March, Buddy’s Saint ($210,000) was sidelined by a right front ankle chip following a workout at Gulfstream Park.

This Week

Grade I, $750,000 Wood Memorial – Aqueduct, Race 9, 5:12 p.m. ET (NBC Sports, 5-6 p.m. ET)

• First: $450,000
• Second: $150,000
• Third: $75,000
• Fourth: $37,500
• Fifth: $22,500
• Sixth: $15,000

Likely In: Awesome Act ($200,000 in graded stakes earnings). Needs Top 3 Finish: Eskendereya ($150,000). Needs Top 2 Finish: Schoolyard Dreams ($100,000) and Jackson Bend ($80,000). Must Win: Carnivore ($0). Not Nominated: Most Happy Fella ($0).

Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby – Santa Anita, Race 6, 5:36 p.m. ET (NBC Sports, 5-6 p.m. ET)

• First: $450,000
• Second: $150,000
• Third: $90,000
• Fourth: $45,000
• Fifth: $15,000

Already In: Lookin At Lucky ($1,390,000). Needs Top 4 Finish: Sidney’s Candy ($180,000). Needs Top 3 Finish: Caracortado ($108,000). Needs Top 2 Finish: Alphie’s Boy ($90,000), What’s Up ($60,000) and Cardiff Giant ($54,000). Must Win: Setsuko ($30,000), Posse Power ($18,000) and Thomas Baines ($0). Not Nominated: Skipshot ($0).

Grade I, $500,000 Illinois Derby – Hawthorne, Race 7, 5:37 p.m. ET

• First: $291,000
• Second: $97,000
• Third: $53,350
• Fourth: $29,100
• Fifth: $14,550
• Sixth: $5,000
• Seventh: $5,000
• Eighth: $5,000

Needs Top 4 Finish: Backtalk ($172,566). Must Win: American Lion ($87,000), Dave in Dixie ($30,000), Turf Melody ($13,857), Boulder Creek ($3,000) and Game Ball ($0). Not Nominated: Stephen’s Got Hope.  

Note: Horses not nominated to the Triple Crown can only run in the Kentucky Derby if less than 20 eligible horses are entered.

Click here for the Kentucky Derby Graded Stakes Earnings “Bubble” At A Glance (Since 1999) Chart