Angel Of Empire (#6 outside) with Luis Saez aboard outduels Tapit Conquest (#7 rail) to win the 51st running of the Grade II Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography/Jamie Newell.
~ Brad Cox has six skilled contenders in the top 20 after reaching his 2000th career win
~ G2 Rebel Saturday with top contenders entered
By Maribeth Kalinich (with info from Churchill Press Release)
With ten weeks until the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby—sounds like a long time? Not if you’re a horse trainer and you are planning your Road to the Kentucky Derby strategy.
Vying for the first and what many consider the prized jewel of the Triple Crown, trainers need to plan which prep races will benefit their young colts to prepare for that 1 1/4-mile route in a huge field of 20 and how to construct points with race results to get there.
Ten weeks out a colt with about three 2-year-old starts and at least two this year might be able to handle two, maybe even three more starts before the Kentucky Derby including this weekend. There are opportunities.
Who’s New?
With only one prep race over last weekend, there was still a lot of movement on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with Albaugh Family Stable’s Angel of Empire moving Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Forte out of the top spot for the first time.
With his surprise victory in the coveted G2 Risen Start at the Fair Grounds Angel of Empire, trained by Brad Cox who achieved his 2000th win Saturday, picked up a whopping 50 points to add to his 4 points from his second-place finish in the Smarty Jones.
Brad Cox also still sits at No. 3 with Gold Square’s Instant Coffee. In addition, Cox has Gary and Mary West’s Hit Show at No. 7 with 20 points, West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stables’ ace’s Road at No. 13 with 15 points and Spendthrift Farms and Frank Fletcher’s Victory Formation at No. 14 with 10 points.
R.T, Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine’s Sun Thunder came crashing into No. 4 for trainer Kenny McPeek after placing second in the Risen Star collecting 20 points.
Jumping up to No. 5 is Patricia’s Hope and Phillip Sagan’s Two Phil’s who earned 15 points for his third place in the Risen Star. Trained by Larry Rivelli, the Hard Spun colt had already picked up 8 points from his second place in the Lecomte.
Another Brad Cox trainee, Tapit’s Conquest, scored 10 points for his fourth place putting him in No. 18. Owned by Robert LaPenta, eFive Racing Thoroughbreds and Madaket Stables
Single Ruler earned 5 points for his fifth-place finish under the new Road to the Kentucky Derby structure. The Keith Desormeaux trainee is now at No. 28.
Here are the Top 20 horses on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard:
| Position | Horse | Trainer | Resume | Possible Next Start | Points |
| 1 | Angel of Empire | Brad Cox | 1st Risen Star, 2nd Smarty Jones | March 25: Louisiana Derby or April 1: Arkansas Derby or April 8: Blue Grass | 54 |
| 2 | Forte | Todd Pletcher | 1st Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, 1st Breeders’ Futurity | March 4: Fountain of Youth | 40 |
| 3 | Instant Coffee | Brad Cox | 1st Lecomte, 1st Kentucky Jockey Club, 4th Breeders’ Futurity | March 25: Louisiana Derby | 32 |
| 4 | Sun Thunder | Kenny McPeek | 2nd Risen Star, 4th Southwest | March 25: Louisiana Derby | 24 |
| 5 | Two Phil’s | Larry Rivelli | 2nd Lecomte, 3rd Risen Star | April 8: Blue Grass | 23 |
| 6 | Rocket Can | Bill Mott | 1st Holy Bull | March 4: Fountain of Youth | 20 |
| 7 | Hit Show | Brad Cox | 1st Withers | April 8: Wood Memorial | 20 |
| 8 | Litigate | Todd Pletcher | 1st Sam F. Davis | March 25: Louisiana Derby | 20 |
| 9 | Curly Jack | Tom Amoss | 1st Iroquois, 2nd Kentucky Jockey Club, 5th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | March 25: Louisiana Derby | 17 |
| 10 | Blazing Sevens | Chad Brown | 1st Champagne, 4th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | March 4: Fountain of Youth | 16 |
| 11 | Arctic Arrogance | Linda Rice | 2nd Withers, 2nd Jerome, 2nd Remsen | March 4: Gotham | 16 |
| 12 | Jace’s Road | Brad Cox | 1st Gun Runner, 3rd Iroquois, 5th Southwest | TBD | 15 |
| 13 | Red Route One | Steve Asmussen | 2nd Southwest, 3rd Breeders’ Futurity, 4th Kentucky Jockey Club | Feb. 25: Rebel | 13 |
| 14 | Victory Formation | Brad Cox | 1st Smarty Jones | TBD | 10 |
| 15 | Dubyuhnell | Danny Gargan | 1st Remsen | TBD | 10 |
| 16 | Practical Move | Tim Yakteen | 1st Los Alamitos Futurity | March 4: San Felipe | 10 |
| 17 | Lugan Knight | Michael McCarthy | 1st Jerome | March 4: Gotham | 10 |
| 18 | Tapit’s Conquest | Brad Cox | 4th Risen Star | March 25: Louisiana Derby | 10 |
| 19 | General Banker | James Ferraro | 3rd Withers, 3rd Jerome | March 4: Gotham | 9 |
| 20 | Shadow Dragon | Bill Mott | 2nd Holy Bull | March 4: Fountain of Youth | 8 |
What’s Happening?
This weekend, Oaklawn Park hosts the G2 Rebel. At 1 1/16 miles the $1 million race offers 50-20-15-10- 5 qualifying points.
March 4th things crank up with three prep races and some big prospects entered. 32 horses are nominated to the G2 $400,000 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park including Forte, Blazing Sevens (#10 on the Derby Leaderboard/16 points), Dubyuhnell, (#15/10), Rocket Can (#6/20), Two Phil’s (#5/23) and Legacy Isle (#32/4). Click here for a complete list of nominees.
At Aqueduct 40 horses are nominated to the G3 $300,000 Gotham at 1 mile. Blazing Sevens, Dubyuhnell, Major Dude and General Jim are also nominated to the Gotham. Other nominees include General Banker (#19/10), Jace’s Road (#12/15) and Lugan Knight (#17/10). Talldega, who is entered in the Rebel is also nominated to the Gotham.
Hejazi, Carmel Road and Arabian Lion, all contenders in Kentucky Derby prep that would have earned points if not for the ban of Bob Baffert are nominated under trainer Tim Yakteen. If they run in the Gotham and earn points the points earned in the previous races will transfer.
Click here to see all of the Gotham nominees.
Although racing was cancelled due to snow this weekend Santa Anita will host the G2 $400,000 San Filipe on March 4th at 1 1/16 miles.
March 11th is the Tampa Bay Derby. And March 25 kicks off the 100-pointers in the G2 UAE Derby, G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks and G2 Louisiana Derby. March closes with the 50-point G3 Sunland Derby.
Here are the remainder of the Championship Series races with possible starters
March 4 (nine weeks out) – $400,000 Fountain of Youth (GII), 1 1/16 miles, Gulfstream Park (Top 5 points: 50-20-15-10-5)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Blazing Sevens (Chad Brown); Forte (Todd Pletcher); General Jim (Shug McGaughey); Rocket Can (Bill Mott); and Shadow Dragon (Bill Mott)
March 4 (nine weeks out) – $400,000 San Felipe (GII), 1 1/16 miles, Santa Anita (Top 5 points: 50-20-15-10-5)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Chase the Choas (Ed Moger); Geaux Rocket Ride (Richard Mandella); National Treasure (TBD); One in Vermillion (Esteban Martinez); Practical Move (Tim Yakteen); and Skinner (John Shirreffs).
March 4 (nine weeks out) – $300,000 Gotham (GIII), one mile, Aqueduct (Top 5 points: 50-20-15-10-5)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Arctic Arrogance (Linda Rice); Carmel Road (Tim Yakteen); Clubhouse (Todd Pletcher); Eyeing Clover (Brad Cox); General Banker (James Ferraro); Howgreatisnate (Andrew Simoff); Lugan Knight (Michael McCarthy); Recruiter (Cal Lynch); Slip Mahoney (Cox); and Uncorrelated (Chad Brown).
March 4 (nine weeks out) – $150,000 John Battaglia Memorial, 1 1/16 miles (Tapeta), Turfway Park (Top 5 points: 20-8-6-4-2)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Curly Larry and Mo (Caio Caramori); Ironsides (Vicki Oliver); and Quadra Island (Brad Cox).
March 11 (eight weeks out) – $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (GII), 1 1/16 miles, Tampa Bay Downs
Known possible starters (with trainer): Classic Car Wash (Mark Casse); Groveland (Eoin Harty);and Tapit Trice (Todd Pletcher).
March 25 (six weeks out) – $1 million Louisiana Derby (GII), 1 3/16 miles, Fair Grounds (Top 4 points: 100-40-20-10)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Angel of Empire (Brad Cox); Baseline Beater (Neil Pessin); Cagliostro (Cherie DeVaux); Curly Jack (Tom Amoss); Denington (Kenny McPeek); Instant Coffee (Brad Cox); Kingsbarns (Todd Pletcher); Litigate (Todd Pletcher); Shopper’s Revenge (Steve Asmussen); Sun Thunder (Kenny McPeek); Tapit Shoes (Brad Cox); and Tapit’s Conquest (Brad Cox).
March 25 (six weeks out) – $1 million UAE Derby (GII), 1 3/16 miles, Meydan Racecourse (Top 4 points: 100-40-20-10)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Perriere (JPN) (Yoichi Kuroiwa); Shirl’s Bee (Doug Watson); and Tall Boy (Doug O’Neill).
March 25 (six weeks out) – $700,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII), 1 1/8 miles (Tapeta), Turfway Park (Top 4 points: 100-40-20-10)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Gilmore (Brendan Walsh); Major Dude (Todd Pletcher); Scoobie Quando (Ben Colebrook); and Wadsworth (Brad Cox).
March 26 (six weeks out) – $600,000 Sunland Derby (GIII), 1 1/8 miles, Sunland Park (Top 4 points: 50-20-10-5)
Known possible starters (with trainer): One in Vermillion (Esteban Martinez); andTwo Eagles River (Chris Hartman).
April 1 (five weeks out) – $1 million Florida Derby (GI), 1 1/8 miles, Gulfstream Park (Top 4 points: 100-40-20-10).
April 1 (five weeks out) – $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (GI), 1 1/8 miles, Oaklawn Park (Top 4 points: 100-40-20-10)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Angel of Empire (Brad Cox); Arabian Knight (TBD); Disarm (Steve Asmussen); and Two Eagles River (Chris Hartman).
April 8 (four weeks out) – $750,000 Wood Memorial (GII), 1 1/8 miles, Aqueduct (Top 4 points: 100-40-20-10)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Hit Show (Brad Cox).
April 8 (four weeks out) – $1 million Blue Grass (GI), 1 1/8 miles, Keeneland (Top 4 points: 100-40-20-10)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Angel of Empire (Brad Cox); and Two Phil’s (Larry Rivelli).
April 8 (four weeks out) – $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (GI), 1 1/8 miles, Santa Anita (Top 4 points: 100-40-20-10)
Known possible starters (with trainer): Arabian Knight (TBD); and Skinner (John Shirreffs).
April 15 (three weeks out) – $400,000 Lexington (GIII), 1 1/16 miles, Keeneland (Top 4 points: 20-8-4-2).
Note: The possible fields for upcoming Kentucky Derby Championship Series races are fluid as owners and trainers vie for points. Known possible horses mentioned to be under consideration for each race are based on published news reports and other sources. Horses listed in italics are possible for multiple races.
