Down to the final furlongs for the Ky. Derby!

Road To Kentucky Derby Championship Series Winds Down With Blue Grass, Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial

Derby Dispatch

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – One month remains until Kentucky Derby Week at Churchill Downs and there are only four remaining opportunities for horses to qualify for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I).

Three of those races will be run Saturday: the $1 million Blue Grass (GI), the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (GI); and the $750,000 Wood Memorial (GII). 

All three races will award 100 points to the winning horse and a qualifying spot in the starting gate for the “Run for the Roses.”

While many possibilities remain to determine this year’s field of 20 3-year-olds for the Kentucky Derby, there are already six horses within the Top 20-point earners that arrived at Churchill Downs: Angel of Empire, Confidence Game, Cyclone Mischief, Disarm, Jace’s Road and Rocket Can. 

News And Notes 

Trainer Brad Cox reported Instant Coffee is scheduled to work over the weekend at Churchill Downs and will make plans for his next race. Instant Coffee is currently No. 22 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 32 points would need several defections to make the field or garner additional points in next Saturday’s Lexington Stakes (GII). The Lexington will award points on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers. …

Louisiana Derby (GII) third-place finisher Jace’s Road is scheduled to work Saturday at Churchill Downs. He would have four works prior to running in the Kentucky Derby. …

Trainer Todd Pletcher reported his Kentucky Derby contenders, including Forte andKingsbarns, are likely to arrive at Churchill Downs on April 16 and would have two works over the track. …

Arkansas Derby (GI) winner Angel of Empire arrived from Oaklawn Park on Wednesday around 4:15 a.m. to trainer Brad Cox’s Churchill Downs Barn 22. He was joined by stablemate Wet Paint, one of the favorites for this year’s $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). Don’t worry, Mr. Man, the goat “mascot” of the Cox stable, is slated to arrive in time for this year’s Kentucky Derby. …

Frank Fletcher Racing Operation’s Arkansas Derby (GI) favorite Rocket Can arrived at Churchill Downs around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s Barn 19. Rocket Can remains in consideration for the Kentucky Derby. … 

Trainer Joel Marr stated Sunland Derby (GIII) winner Wild On Ice will van from Sunland Park in Hobbs, N.M. to Southern California to fly to Kentucky on Sunday. He’ll be joined on the flight by Sunland Park Oaks winner Flying Connection, who is scheduled to start in the Kentucky Oaks. … 

Japan’s duo of Kentucky Derby contenders – Derma Sotogake (JPN) and Continuar (JPN) – are slated to arrive at Churchill Downs late Saturday evening. The duo flew Wednesday from Dubai to Chicago and will undergo a minimum 42 hour USDA quarantine period prior to vanning to Churchill Downs. Both horses could train for the first time Saturday. They will be stabled in the Quarantine Barns across from the main stable area entrance. …

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Disarm, the runner-up in the Louisiana Derby (GII), is scheduled to work Sunday or Monday at Churchill Downs. Currently, Disarm has 40 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard and was in position No. 18.

Derby fans can keep up with all the news and notes on the Road to the Kentucky Derby by listening to “Inside the Kentucky Derby: – available on iTunes, Spotify and YouTube. 

Upcoming Road To Kentucky Derby Races

April 15 (three weeks out) – $400,000 Lexington (GIII), 1 1/16 miles, Keeneland (Top 4 points: 20-8-4-2)

Known possible starters (with trainer): Confidence Game (Keith Desormeaux);Curly Larry and Mo (Caio Caramori); Victory Formation (Brad Cox).

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.

Forte Leader On Road To Kentucky Derby Leaderboard – Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Florida Derby (GI) winner Forte has stamped himself as the early Kentucky Derby favorite and will be the point leader on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 190 points.

Here are the Top 20 horses on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard: