May 2 (UPI) — The complexion of Saturday’s 151st Kentucky Derby changed fairly dramatically late Thursday, as trainer Bob Baffert scratched one of his two contenders, Rodriguez, opening the door for the lone also-eligible, Baeza, to enter the maximum 20-horse field.
The Kentucky Derby and Oaks, the British Guineas, the Tenno Sho in Japan and a double handful of hotly contested supporting races make up one of the most action-backed weekends of the Thoroughbred racing season.
Into the bargain, most of those races should be hotly contested, adding to both the enjoyment and betting prospects.
For the last time this season, let’s start with …
The Road to the Roses
Rodriguez’ connections said the colt had a minor foot bruise — not enough to take him out of consideration for the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown in two weeks’ time, but enough to pull him out of the Derby field.
“You have to be just perfect,” Baffert said, according to BloodHorse. “If you’re gonna win this thing, you gotta be perfect.”
The inclusion of Baeza is important as he finished second in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby in his last start, just 3/4 length back of Journalism, the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Baeza actually led into deep stretch in the Santa Anita race before Journalism got by him.
Baeza, listed as No. 21, will start from the outside, No. 20 gate Saturday and jockey Flavien Prat will have to find a way around and through traffic from there. Journalism will start from gate No. 8, with regular rider Umberto Rispoli up.
With that major exception, the final weekend of Derby preparations has been blessedly uneventful except for one thing — the weather. Forecasters earlier thought mid-week rain would be gone by Saturday. Now, they call for steady rain early in the day with showers in the afternoon.
Ugh.
The Road to the Oaks
There was a late scratch from Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, too. Trainer George Weaver said the Vekoma filly was not training to his satisfaction and pulled her out. The defection of the Gulfstream Park Oaks winner leaves a field of 13 for Friday’s race. Good Cheer, undefeated after six starts and as yet really untested, is the strong morning-line favorite.
Here’s a brief listing of the plethora of graded stakes surrounding the big race:
Classic
Travers winner and Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Fierceness hooks up with Cigar Mile and Santa Anita Handicap winner Locked in Friday’s $750,000 Grade II Alysheba at Churchill Downs. Hall of Fame and/or Most Wanted also rate in a cast of six.
Last year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Mystik Dan is in Saturday’s $200,000 Lake Ouachita at Oaklawn Park. The Goldencents colt finished second in last year’s Preakness, but hasn’t figured in three tries since, most recently finishing ninth in the Pegasus World Cup in January. He’s second-favorite here behind recent allowance winner Awesome Aaron.
Distaff
Friday’s $1 million Grade I La Troienne at Churchill Downs has reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna aiming for her fifth straight win and seventh Grade I triumph. The best of the other six already have finished well behind her. A wet track shouldn’t bother her. Watch for bridge-jumpers in the show pool, just in case.
Turf
Saturday’s $1 million Grade I Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs.
Saturday’s $1 million Grade I American Turf for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs.
Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II Fort Marcy at Aqueduct
Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II Charles Whittingham at Santa Anita
Filly & Mare Turf
Friday’s $175,000 Grade III Sheepshead Bay at Aqueduct
Friday’s $600,000 Grade II Edgewood for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs
Friday’s $400,000 Grade III Modesty at Churchill Downs
Sunday’s $175,000 Grade III Beaugay at Aqueduct
Sunday’s $100,000 Santa Barbara at Santa Anita
Turf Sprint
Bridle a Butterfly was last early and first when it counted in Wednesday’s $300,000 William Walker for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs. The Country House gelding won by 1/2 length over Out on Bail while finishing 5 1/2 furlongs on firm going in 1:01.76 under John Velazquez.
Friday’s $400,000 Grade III Unbridled Sidney for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs
Saturday’s $150,000 Elusive Quality at Aqueduct
Saturday’s $600,000 Grade II Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs
Sunday’s $150,000 License Fee for fillies and mares at Aqueduct
Turf Mile
Trainer Cherie DeVaux got her Derby week off to a rousing start as Brilliant Berti rallied from well back to win Thursday’s $350,000 Opening Verse at Churchill Downs by 1/2 length as the favorite. DeVaux has hot prospects both Friday and Saturday.
Saturday’s $750,000 Grade II Longines Churchill Distaff Mile
Saturday’s $85,000 English Channel at Gulfstream Park
Saturday’s $85,000 Honey Ryder for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park
Sprint / Dirt Mile
Baffert got his Derby week off to a good start by saddling Fort Bragg to a 1 1/2-length victory in Thursday’s $200,000 St. Matthews at Churchill Downs. On the flip side, the trainer’s other starter, Speedboat Beach, finished last as the favorite.
Saturday’s $1 million Grade I Churchill Downs Stakes
Saturday’s $600,000 Grade II Pat Day Mile for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs
Saturday’s $200,000 Knicks Go at Churchill Downs
Sunday’s $175,000 Grade III Westchester at Aqueduct
Sunday’s $100,000 (Canadian) Thorncliffe at Woodbine
Filly & Mare Sprint
Friday’s $600,000 Grade II Eight Belles for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs
Saturday’s $1 million Grade I Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs
Saturday’s $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Whimsical on the Woodbine all-weather
Sunday’s $175,000 Grade III Vagrancy at Aqueduct
Around the world, around the clock:
England
While American racing is fixated on Churchill Downs this weekend, most of the rest of the world will be watching Newmarket, home of Saturday’s Group 1 2,000 Guineas and Sunday’s Group 1 1,000 Guineas.
Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas has a confirmed field of 11. The top three prospects are Juddmonte’s Field of Gold, a Kingman colt trained by the Gosdens with Kieran Shoemark to ride; Godolphin’s Ruling Court, by Justify with William Buick up for Charlie Appleby; and Coolmore’s Expanded, a Wootton Bassett colt trained by Aidan O’Brien with William Buick in the irons.
We await final declarations for the fillies’ race on Sunday, but be assured the lineup will include the same connections at or near the top of the odds board.
Japan
Sunday’s Tenno Sho (Spring) at Kyoto Racecourse, the longest of the Japan Racing Association Grade 1 events at 3,200 meters or about 2 miles, promises to be a test of stamina for some relatively young Japanese runners.
The defending champion, T O Royal, is sidelined, leaving it to runner-up Blow the Horn and the 2023 winner, Justin Palace, to carry the veterans’ banner. Promising 4-year-olds include Grade 2 Hanshin Daishoten winner Sunrise Earth and Redentor, runner-up in last October’s Group 1 Kikuka Sho at 3,000 meters.
Argentina
Sarawak Rim wore down the favorite, Martana, in the final furlong of Thursday’s Group 1 Gran Premio Criadores at the Hipodromo de Palermo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, won by 1 length over that rival and earned a “Win and You’re In” spot in the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
The 3-year-old, trained by Juan Saldivia and ridden by William Pereyra, completed the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.82 over a fast track, earning her fourth win in five starts.
